childhood

American  

[chahyld-hood] / ˈtʃaɪld hʊd /

noun

1. the state or period of being a child.

   Synonyms:

   girlhood, boyhood, youth

2. the early stage in the existence of something.

   the childhood of the human race.

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childhood British  

/ ˈtʃaɪldhʊd /

noun

1. the condition of being a child; the period of life before puberty

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• prechildhood
  noun

Etymology

Origin of childhood

before 950; Middle English childhode, Old English cildhād. See child, -hood

Example Sentences

What a setback for anyone who saw a childhood ruined by Bucky Dent, or yanks the plug when the jukebox cranks up Billy Joel.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

Ernst Baerwald’s odyssey from a cushy childhood in Frankfurt to his final days in a beautiful Berkeley mansion, with a long sojourn in Tokyo along the way, reads like, well, a novel.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026

Others are curious about the bridal party, wondering if Gomez and childhood friend Abigail Anderson Berard, who has been in multiple Swift music videos, will be part.

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026

For a second opinion with close ties to childhood nonsense, I asked my Magic 8 Ball.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

The cure was usually a long process—sometimes lasting years—starting first with childhood memories and even, if possible, memories formed in utero.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady