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

At their kitchen table, she shares memories of Annabel's childhood and how her "joyful and funny" daughter had made friends wherever she went, including the women she helped support through the MamaSuze group.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

He has been walking on the beach for more than 50 years, since his childhood spent in a 1960s ranch house three doors down from Domagala.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

Hayakawa pulls from her childhood in multiple ways for her sophomore feature, which premiered in competition at Cannes last year.

From Los Angeles Times • 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

It’s too late for my little brother, but maybe I can give Voxy the childhood Javier never got to have.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera