childhood

plural childhoods

1. uncountableThe state of being a child.

   Of a ſuretie, it is a ioyfull thynge to reioyce in the chyldhode of chyldren, but it is a ryght cruel thing to ſuffre the importunities of their mothers.

   1531 March 20 (date written; Gregorian calendar), [Antonio de Guevara], “The Answere of M. Themperour, whan Faustine His Wife Demaunded the Key of His Study”, in John Bourcher knyghte Lord Barners [i.e., John Bourchier, 2nd Baron Berners], transl., The Golden Boke of Marcus Aurelius Emperour and Eloquent Oratour, London: […] Thomæ Bertheleti […], published 1535, →OCLC, folio 32, verso

   2 more examples

   To our own surprise, our 40-year study of 1,000 children revealed that childhood self-control strongly predicts adult success, in people of high or low intelligence, in rich or poor, and does so throughout the entire population, with a step change in health, wealth, and social success at every level of self-control.

   2013 September-October, Terrie Moffitt et al., “Lifelong Impact of Early Self-Control”, in American Scientist, archived from the original on 31 Jan 2014

   I recall with intense pleasure my discovery in childhood of the Greek myths and Homer's "Iliad," in various editions, from an early acquaintance with d'Aulaire’s to Roger Lancelyn Green's versions and, at the French school I attended for several years, a collection memorably entitled "Mythes et Légendes du Monde Grecque et Barbare."

   2018 May 28, Claire Messud, “December’s Book Club pick: Turning Circe into a good witch”, in The New York Times Book Review, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 19 Mar 2021

2. countableuncountableThe time during which one is a child, from between infancy and puberty.

   He stood transfixed before the unaccustomed view of London at night time, a vast panorama which reminded him […] of some wood engravings far off and magical, in a printshop in his childhood.

   1963, Margery Allingham, “Foreword”, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC

3. broadlycountableuncountableThe early stages of development of something.

   the childhood of our joy

   c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iii]