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
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.
Helsinki is responsible for a range of things, from early childhood education to social services and rescue services to city planning. Kristen Edgreen Kaufman, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025 Kwame Onwuachi, whose restaurant Tatiana By Kwame Onwuachi opened in New York City in 2022 and pays tribute to his sister, for whom the restaurant is named, and shows off tastes of his childhood in the Bronx. Alexandra Schonfeld, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025 Now 89, Suzuki is involved in the new biopic, which will begin in his childhood and portray key personal and public events that shaped his path as an environmental activist. Jennie Punter, Variety, 8 Sep. 2025 Bella recalled her childhood as lacking in boundaries, with adults engaged in experimental ways of living which purported to offer freedom but in fact undermined any sense of security. Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025 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 10 Sep. 2025.

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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