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childhood

[C/U] Both
pl: childhoods

This word carries a heavy emotional weight, often acting as a psychological anchor for an adult's identity. It is frequently paired with adjectives like "troubled," "blissful," or "idyllic" to summarize an entire era of a person's life in a single word. When used to describe qualities, it evokes a sense of purity, curiosity, and lack of cynicism. It describes a mindset of openness and spontaneity that exists independently of chronological age, often contrasting with the rigid expectations of adulthood.

Uncountable when referring to the general state of being young. Countable when referring to specific, individual experiences of growing up (e.g., "their childhoods were very different").

💬Conversación Casual

🎬Tuesday afternoon, Jessica is frantically checking the shared drive while Mark is on a long lunch break.
Jessica

Where is that photo for the slide deck? You said it was a childhood pic.

Jessica
Mark
Mark

My bad, I totally blanked. It's still on my old hard drive.

💡
Jessica is stressed about a deadline for a presentation (slide deck). Mark uses the phrasal verb 'blanked' to mean he completely forgot, illustrating his slacker persona and weaponized incompetence.

Meanings

Noun
[person/period]

The state or period of being a child.

"She had a very happy childhood spent in the countryside."

Last Updated: May 26, 2026Report an Error