childish
Americanadjective
-
of, like, or befitting a child.
childish games.
-
puerile; weak; silly.
childish fears.
adjective
-
in the manner of, belonging to, or suitable to a child
-
foolish or petty; puerile
childish fears
Related Words
Childish, infantile, childlike refer to characteristics or qualities of childhood. The ending -ish often has unfavorable connotations; childish therefore refers to characteristics that are undesirable and unpleasant: childish selfishness, outbursts of temper. Infantile, originally a general word, now often carries an even stronger idea of disapproval or scorn than does childish: infantile reasoning, behavior. The ending -like has pleasing or neutral connotations; childlike therefore refers to the characteristics that are desirable and admirable: childlike innocence, trust.
Other Word Forms
- childishly adverb
- childishness noun
- overchildish adjective
- overchildishly adverb
- overchildishness noun
- unchildish adjective
- unchildishly adverb
- unchildishness noun
Etymology
Origin of childish
First recorded before 1000; Middle English childisch, Old English cildisc; child + -ish 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Ultimately, he was unhappy with the way the film turned out and insisted his name was removed from the credits, something he later described as a childish decision.
From BBC
“The childish scribbling handwriting is also a red herring for some of the more serious and sinister themes in the book, “ says Cash.
From Los Angeles Times
I could hear the childish whine in my voice and wished I could sound angry and indignant like Hannie instead.
From Literature
But Miss Piggy was my slumber mate well past the time of putting aside childish things and replacing ancient bedclothes.
From Salon
Initially, “Lord of the Flies” is all childish adventure: swimming in a lagoon, climbing a mountain.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
