childhood

American  

[chahyld-hood] / ˈtʃaɪld hʊd /

noun

• childhoods
  plural

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• childhoods
  plural

Etymology

Origin of childhood

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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

childhood childhoods

Was this an act of stupid rebellion carrying over from a terrible childhood?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026

Suvorova’s story is not just about the childhood trauma inflicted by her mail-order-bride mother, but it’s a redemption story about reuniting with her beloved maternal Babushka and biological father.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026

Sylvia’s early childhood environment was characterized by volatility and inconsistency.

From Slate ● Sep. 23, 2026

Her story of racial injustice and childhood innocence, set in Alabama in 1934, has sold more than 40 million copies around the world and has been translated into 40 languages.

From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026

The scent brought me back to my childhood, visiting trade fairs and markets with my father as he pored over bolts of linen, wool, and leather.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

Though the Womacks come from a line of West Virginian horse breeders, there was nothing Americana about the childhoods of BG, Zeimani and Kucha.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026

As if their unconventional childhoods weren’t troubled enough, Asa and Yuru’s twinship comes with another heavy burden: saving the world.

From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026

Over one-third of American children and a staggering 53 percent of Black children will be subjected to a child protective services investigation at some point in their childhoods.

From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026

Since her cancer treatment, the princess has often spoken of the value of human contact and connection to help create happy, stable childhoods.

From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2026

“One day we were hanging out talking about our childhoods and Luma said, ‘I’m from Jordan,”’ recalled Misty Wyman, a student from Maine who would become Luma’s best friend.

From "Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference" by Warren St. John