childhood

noun

child·​hood ˈchī(-ə)ld-ˌhu̇d How to pronounce childhood (audio)
Synonyms of childhoodnext
1
: the state or period of being a child
2
: the early period in the development of something

Examples of childhood in a Sentence

diseases that can occur in childhood Both men had unhappy childhoods.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The actors were greeted by the exhibition’s curator, Robin McClellan, who led them to Mozart’s childhood violin, encased in glass. Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 18 May 2026 When Yuri goes missing, Silvia’s childhood trauma comes to the surface, forcing the woman to confront a still very much present past. Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 17 May 2026 Early on, John and I pulled a trick from our own childhoods, asking Robbie to count cars on a passing train. Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 17 May 2026 There was the pretense of happiness in his childhood home in Depression-era New York (the city is captured in terrifically evocative clips). Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for childhood

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of childhood was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Childhood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/childhood. Accessed 22 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

childhood

noun
child·​hood ˈchīld-ˌhu̇d How to pronounce childhood (audio)
: the state or time of being a child

Medical Definition

childhood

noun
child·​hood ˈchīld-ˌhu̇d How to pronounce childhood (audio)
: the state or period of being a child

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