# boyhood

/ˈbɔɪˌhʊd/ (US) · /bˈɔɪhʊd/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/boyhood
Updated: 2026-05-08

## Definition

the time in a person's life when they are a young boy. It describes the years before someone becomes an adult man.

For teachers: the period or state of being a boy, typically spanning from early childhood to the onset of adolescence.

## Examples

- He spent his boyhood living in a small village by the sea.
- Many of his novels are based on his boyhood experiences growing up in industrial London during the 1950s.
- The memoir captures the bittersweet transition from the innocence of boyhood to the complex responsibilities of adulthood with remarkable emotional clarity.

## Usage notes

- Uncountable when referring to the state or period in general; countable when referring to a specific person's experience of that time.

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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.