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

Ruins of the childhood home of England's Nine Days' Queen, Lady Jane Grey, are to reopen to the public as a major conservation project continues.

From BBC

I’m just trying to ride the balance of letting her have those childhood joys and experiences.

From Los Angeles Times

Playing cards that were once simply a fun part of childhood are increasingly being stashed away as pension policies, believes expert Elliot Riley-Walsh, from Anglesey.

From BBC

A Los Angeles jury found Meta and Google’s YouTube contributed to mental-health issues of a young woman during her childhood and teenage years because of the addictive nature of their products.

From Barron's

She also recounted her difficult childhood, much of it spent in care homes.

From BBC