Word
childhood
Phoneticschild·hood, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈtʃaɪɫdˌhʊd/
UK/tʃˈaɪldhʊd/
Definitions
01the time of being a child
A2 · Elementary Countable noun
n. the years of your life when you are a child, before you become an adult.
n. the chronological period of a person's life from birth or infancy to the beginning of puberty.
“She spent most of her childhood living in a small house by the sea.”
“Many psychologists argue that the experiences we have during early childhood significantly shape our personality and social behaviour as adults.”
Usage
Often used with possessive adjectives like 'my childhood' or 'her childhood'.
Antonyms
02early development
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Literary
n. the very beginning or early stages of something new.
n. the initial or formative stage of development of an abstract concept, organisation, or movement.
“The internet was still in its childhood when he started his first company.”
“The space programme was in its childhood during the 1950s, with scientists still debating the basic physics of orbital mechanics.”
Usage
Usually used metaphorically to describe non-human entities.
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “childhood” in context.
Verb
01. childhood ends
“For many, childhood ends the moment they start working to support their family.”
noun + verb
02. childhood shapes
“Psychologists believe that childhood shapes our adult personality.”
noun + verb
Adjective
03. difficult childhood
“The author often writes about his difficult childhood in a poor neighborhood.”
adj + noun
04. early childhood
“Early childhood education is crucial for a child's cognitive development.”
adj + noun
Noun
05. friend from childhood
“She is still close with her best friend from childhood.”
noun + prep + noun
06. childhood memories
07. childhood friend
08. childhood vaccination
09. childhood experiences
10. childhood immunization
11. a childhood dream come true
“Winning the championship was a childhood dream come true for the athlete.”
12. deprived of a childhood
“Child laborers are often deprived of a childhood and basic education.”
Etymology
From Middle English childhode, childhod, from Old English ċildhād (“childhood”). By surface analysis, child + -hood. Compare dialectal Dutch kindheid (“childishness”), German Low German Kinnerheid (“childhood”), and German Kindheit (“childhood”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
Related words
Idioms
01. second childhood
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B1 · IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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