childish

[ chahyl-dish ]
See synonyms for childish on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. of, like, or befitting a child: childish games.

  2. puerile; weak; silly: childish fears.

Origin of childish

1
First recorded before 1000; Middle English childisch, Old English cildisc; child + -ish1

synonym study For childish

2. 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.

Opposites for childish

Other words from childish

  • child·ish·ly, adverb
  • child·ish·ness, noun
  • o·ver·child·ish, adjective
  • o·ver·child·ish·ly, adverb
  • o·ver·child·ish·ness, noun
  • un·child·ish, adjective
  • un·child·ish·ly, adverb
  • un·child·ish·ness, noun

Words that may be confused with childish

  • childish , childlike (see synonym study at the current entry)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for childish

childish

/ (ˈtʃaɪldɪʃ) /


adjective
  1. in the manner of, belonging to, or suitable to a child

  2. foolish or petty; puerile: childish fears

Derived forms of childish

  • childishly, adverb
  • childishness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012