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.
For Jones, that means confronting her childhood fear of clowns. Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2025 The reggaeton star, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, picked his stage name from a childhood photo. Bebe Hodges, Cincinnati Enquirer, 29 Sep. 2025 Alonzo's comedy is very personal, often focusing on socioeconomic class, her childhood experience and the current political climate. Terry Gross, NPR, 29 Sep. 2025 Born JoAnne Deborah Byron in 1947 to an accountant father and schoolteacher mother, Shakur spent her childhood between Queens, New York, and her grandparents’ home in North Carolina, then still under Jim Crow laws. Walden Green, Pitchfork, 29 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 5 Oct. 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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