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
Shot over four years, The Brink of Dreams follows them from childhood to womanhood, facing the most crucial choices of their lives.
—
Matthew Carey, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2024
Born in New Jersey, Afiya and her siblings spent their early childhood in a culturally rich environment, celebrating traditions like Kwanzaa and later joining a vibrant Muslim community after their mother converted to Islam.
—Ruhama Wolle, Glamour, 5 Sep. 2024
Ours is a self-harming form of control that often sprouts from a childhood of conditional love.
—Lizz Schumer, Peoplemag, 4 Sep. 2024
Traumatized by events from her childhood — particularly the disappearance of her own mother, and all the suffering since — Ghost is selectively mute.
—Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for childhood 
Matthew Carey, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2024
Born in New Jersey, Afiya and her siblings spent their early childhood in a culturally rich environment, celebrating traditions like Kwanzaa and later joining a vibrant Muslim community after their mother converted to Islam.
—Ruhama Wolle, Glamour, 5 Sep. 2024
Ours is a self-harming form of control that often sprouts from a childhood of conditional love.
—Lizz Schumer, Peoplemag, 4 Sep. 2024
Traumatized by events from her childhood — particularly the disappearance of her own mother, and all the suffering since — Ghost is selectively mute.
—Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for childhood
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.
Articles Related to childhood
Dictionary Entries Near childhood
Cite this Entry
“Childhood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/childhood. Accessed 19 Sep. 2024.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share