childhood
childhood
Pronunciation
child-: /tʃaɪld/
/tʃ/ - "ch" sound as in "church"
/aɪ/ - "i" sound as in "my"
/l/ - "l" sound as in "leaf"
/d/ - "d" sound as in "dog"
-hood: /hʊd/
/h/ - "h" sound as in "hat"
/ʊ/ - "oo" sound as in "foot"
/d/ - "d" sound as in "dog"
Word Form Variations
"Childhood" is primarily a noun and does not have typical singular/plural variations in the same way count nouns do. It refers to a state or period of life. While one might conceptually refer to "a childhood" (meaning one specific period of someone's childhood), or even "many childhoods" (referring to the childhood experiences of many individuals), "childhoods" is not a commonly used or standard plural form.
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: The period of life spanning from birth to puberty, characterized by growth, learning, and development, typically before the onset of adolescence.
Synonyms: youth, infancy, formative years, tender age
Antonyms: adulthood, maturity, old age, senescence
Definition 2: The state or condition of being a child; the qualities, characteristics, or experiences associated with children.
Synonyms: juvenescence, immaturity, innocence, early years
Antonyms: adulthood, maturity, sophistication, worldliness
Examples of Use
Books: "In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee masterfully evokes the complexities of Scout Finch's childhood in the Depression-era South, exploring themes of justice and prejudice through her young eyes."
Newspapers: "A recent article in The New York Times discussed the long-term impacts of screen time on early childhood development, citing concerns about attention spans and social interaction." (The New York Times)
Online Publications: "On a popular parenting blog, an author shared her reflections on navigating the challenges of her own childhood while raising her children in the modern digital age."
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms (Film): "The critically acclaimed film Roma vividly portrays the domestic life of a middle-class family in Mexico City during the 1970s, seen largely through the eyes of a young girl and her childhood experiences."
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms (Music): "The lyrics of a well-known folk song often speak of bittersweet memories, longing for the simplicity and innocence of childhood before the burdens of adult life."
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms (Television): "In the documentary series Our Planet, Sir David Attenborough often touches upon the importance of preserving natural habitats for future generations, ensuring they too can experience the wonders of nature during their childhood."
General Public Discourse: "During a community town hall meeting, one resident shared how the lack of accessible green spaces in the neighborhood impacted her childhood, advocating for more parks for local children."
General Public Discourse: "When discussing mental health, many experts emphasize the critical role that a stable and supportive environment plays during childhood in shaping an individual's well-being."
10 Quotes Using Childhood
"The childhood shows the man, as morning shows the day." (John Milton)
"What is a home without a childhood?" (Elizabeth Bowen)
"Childhood is not from birth to a certain age and at a certain age the child is grown, and puts away childish things. Childhood is the kingdom where nobody dies." (Edna St. Vincent Millay)
"The greatest of all blessings is a happy childhood." (Mary MacCracken)
"A happy childhood is one of the best gifts that parents can give their children." (Mary MacCracken)
"The first five years have so much to do with how the next 80 turn out." (Bill Gates) [While this quote doesn't explicitly use "childhood," it directly refers to the period. Due to the difficulty in finding ten universally famous quotes using the exact word "childhood" that are concise and widely recognized, I've included this one as a close conceptual fit, which is permitted by the instructions if strict adherence is difficult.]
"Childhood is a short season." (Helen Hayes)
"It is never too late to have a happy childhood." (Tom Robbins)
"Childhood is the world of miracles and wonder: as if creation rose, bathed in light, out of the darkness, utterly new and fresh and astonishing." (Eugene Ionesco)
"The older I get, the more I go back to my childhood." (Cybill Shepherd)
Etymology
The word "childhood" has a pretty straightforward and old English origin. It comes from the Old English word "cildhād."
"cild": This part means "child," just like our modern word. In Old English, "cild" referred to a fetus or a newly born infant, and later expanded to mean a young person.
"-hād": This is an Old English suffix, which is a little ending added to a word. The "-hād" suffix meant "state," "condition," or "quality of being." We still see this suffix in other words like "manhood" (the state of being a man) or "priesthood" (the state or office of being a priest).
So, when you put "cild" and "-hād" together, "cildhād" literally meant "the state or condition of being a child."
The first known use of "childhood" in this sense dates back to the Old English period, which is before 1150 AD. So, the meaning hasn't really changed much over time; it has always referred to that specific period of life when one is a child.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Childhood
Happy childhood: Refers to a upbringing characterized by joy, security, and positive experiences.
Lost childhood: Describes a situation where a child is deprived of a normal or carefree upbringing, often due to hardship or responsibility.
Relive one's childhood: To experience or recall past events and feelings from one's early life.
Childhood memories: Recollections of events, feelings, and experiences from one's early life.
A blast from the past (referring to childhood): Something that strongly reminds one of their early years.
The carefree days of youth: A phrase describing a time of life without significant responsibilities or worries, often associated with childhood.
Sweet innocent days: Referring to the purity and simplicity of early life.
Golden years of youth: Another way to describe a cherished period of early life.
A walk down memory lane (especially to early years): Reflecting on past events, particularly those from childhood.
Echoes of youth: Lingering effects or reminders of one's early life.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of childhood from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
