# second childhood

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/second-childhood
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

The period or state of cognitive decline of an elderly person, characterized by childlike judgment and behavior.

## Examples

- He acts like he is in his second childhood lately.
- The family worried when their grandfather started behaving erratically, wondering if he had entered his second childhood.
- As the aging patriarch began to exhibit the whimsical yet confused temperament of a second childhood, his children struggled to balance his newfound joy with the reality of his declining health.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.