childhood

noun

child·​hood ˈchī(-ə)ld-ˌhu̇d How to pronounce childhood (audio)
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 Rocha also is a current board member of Brighter Beginnings, a nonprofit that focuses on childhood development, family support services, financial literacy, community strengthening and family healthcare. Judith Prieve, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 Suresh Kothari, 89, and AG Shakir, 90, were childhood best friends in Deesa, Gujarat, Kothari’s granddaughter, Megan Kothari, told McClatchy News. Paloma Chavez, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2024 Peck weaves childhood games into movement — tag, for instance — to emphasize intimacy, as dancers collapse into stillness, only to burst into play again. Gloria Oladipo, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024 Explore See latest videos, charts and news The Compton Cowboys are a childhood group of eight friends from the Compton neighborhood of Los Angeles, who use music, horseback riding and equestrian culture to improve their inner-city community. Melinda Newman, Billboard, 8 Mar. 2024 Harris at the time also visited her childhood home in the capital city and urged Democrats to turn out to vote in November. Lawrence Andrea, Journal Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2024 Bourdain and Ariane's mom kept their daughter out of the public eye during childhood Bourdain and Busia-Bourdain seldom posted images of their daughter on social media, shielding Ariane from the public eye. Francesca Gariano, Peoplemag, 7 Mar. 2024 Shania Twain nurtured her childhood imagination with homemade Barbies Twain was creating her own Barbie world from the start. USA TODAY, 6 Mar. 2024 Many scents stick out in my mind and are part of my life, such as my childhood garden in Normandy and the Corsican underbrush, which gave me my first olfactory shock. Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'childhood.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near childhood

Cite this Entry

“Childhood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/childhood. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on childhood

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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