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

• prechildhood noun

Etymology

Origin of childhood

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

Example Sentences

His childhood friend Lörinc Meszaros, a former gas fitter, has become the wealthiest man in the country.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

A self-described B-student, he spent his childhood adventuring in the wilderness near his hometown of Seattle, and as a kid had preferred skiing to YouTube.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Quick cuts between Charlie, Mike and Rachel suggest their admissions are intense but relatively innocuous — things that can be laughed off and chalked up to childhood immaturity.

From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026

A Los Angeles jury determined last month that Meta and Google intentionally designed their social-media platforms to be addictive, harming the mental health of a plaintiff in childhood.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

‘I think you know I had a hard childhood.’

From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler