childhood
noun
child·hood ˈchī(-ə)ld-ˌhu̇d 
1
: the state or period of being a child
2
: the early period in the development of something
Synonyms
- nonage
- springtime
- youth
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
diseases that can occur in childhood Both men had unhappy childhoods.
Recent Examples on the Web Philip, her third cousin, was a Greek prince but had spent most of his childhood in the U.K. 
Rachel Elbaum, NBC News, 8 Sep. 2022 Invocations to the Virgin Mary marked out the days of my childhood in bells; her feastdays gave a rhythm to the year; an eternal ideal of mortal beauty was fixed by the lineaments of her face, which gazed from every wall and niche. Clair Wills, The New York Review of Books, 7 Sep. 2022 For Arvizu and Martín del Campo, chiles en nogada are part of their childhood and represent their craft as Mexican chefs, deeply proud of their home country’s regional traditions. Bill Esparza, Washington Post, 7 Sep. 2022 The early chapters about your childhood feel like perfect little sitcom episodes. Rebecca Sun, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Sep. 2022 Movies like Where The Wild Things Are reconnected generations of people with the boundless possibility of childhood through a magical nanny. Adrianna Freedman, Men's Health, 30 Aug. 2022 Tomas Alfredson's atmospheric, brutal chiller is one of the most moving and memorable films about childhood put to screen. Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 27 Aug. 2022 In honor of her dad's birthday in 2022, Jasmin penned a heartfelt message on Instagram about her childhood. Courtney Young, Peoplemag, 24 Aug. 2022 To help Yemen's children and youth develop their potential and to better equip them to face the transitions from childhood and student life to employment and active citizenship, UNICEF has developed a life skills program. Forbes, 11 Aug. 2022 See More
Rachel Elbaum, NBC News, 8 Sep. 2022 Invocations to the Virgin Mary marked out the days of my childhood in bells; her feastdays gave a rhythm to the year; an eternal ideal of mortal beauty was fixed by the lineaments of her face, which gazed from every wall and niche. Clair Wills, The New York Review of Books, 7 Sep. 2022 For Arvizu and Martín del Campo, chiles en nogada are part of their childhood and represent their craft as Mexican chefs, deeply proud of their home country’s regional traditions. Bill Esparza, Washington Post, 7 Sep. 2022 The early chapters about your childhood feel like perfect little sitcom episodes. Rebecca Sun, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Sep. 2022 Movies like Where The Wild Things Are reconnected generations of people with the boundless possibility of childhood through a magical nanny. Adrianna Freedman, Men's Health, 30 Aug. 2022 Tomas Alfredson's atmospheric, brutal chiller is one of the most moving and memorable films about childhood put to screen. Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 27 Aug. 2022 In honor of her dad's birthday in 2022, Jasmin penned a heartfelt message on Instagram about her childhood. Courtney Young, Peoplemag, 24 Aug. 2022 To help Yemen's children and youth develop their potential and to better equip them to face the transitions from childhood and student life to employment and active citizenship, UNICEF has developed a life skills program. Forbes, 11 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing childhood
Kids Definition
childhood
noun
child·hood ˈchīld-ˌhu̇d
: the period of life between infancy and youth
Medical Definition
childhood
noun
child·hood ˈchīld-ˌhu̇d
: the state or period of being a child
childhood
noun
as in adolescence
the state or time of being a child enjoy your childhood—it won't last forever Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- adolescence
- youth
- infancy
- boyhood
- springtime
- girlhood
- toddlerhood
- nonage
- minority
- babyhood
- immaturity
- juvenility
- juvenescence
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- adulthood
- majority
- winter
- midlife
- middle age
- sunset
- senectitude