childhood
noun
child·hood
ˈchī(-ə)ld-ˌhu̇d 
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
For much of her childhood, Price saw her mother as her safest place.
—
Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 24 May 2026
The trip—done on behalf of her early childhood development work—was the Princess of Wales’s first solo trip abroad since 2022 and her first official international visit since her 2024 cancer diagnosis.
—Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 24 May 2026
Mete and Defne likened the arrangement to summer houses in their childhoods, when everyone ate outside on makeshift tables, calling out to neighbors.
—Ayşegül Savaş, New Yorker, 24 May 2026
The movie centers around a shy music store employee’s wish for his childhood crush to fall in love with him, exploring themes of coercion, loss of autonomy and toxic romance.
—Antonio Pequeño Iv, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for childhood
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Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 24 May 2026
The trip—done on behalf of her early childhood development work—was the Princess of Wales’s first solo trip abroad since 2022 and her first official international visit since her 2024 cancer diagnosis.
—Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 24 May 2026
Mete and Defne likened the arrangement to summer houses in their childhoods, when everyone ate outside on makeshift tables, calling out to neighbors.
—Ayşegül Savaş, New Yorker, 24 May 2026
The movie centers around a shy music store employee’s wish for his childhood crush to fall in love with him, exploring themes of coercion, loss of autonomy and toxic romance.
—Antonio Pequeño Iv, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for childhood
Cite this Entry
“Childhood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/childhood. Accessed 29 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
childhood
noun
child·hood
ˈchīld-ˌhu̇d
: the state or time of being a child
Medical Definition
childhood
noun
child·hood
ˈchīld-ˌhu̇d
: the state or period of being a child
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