CHILDHOOD
childhood, puerility
(noun) the state of a child between infancy and adolescence
childhood
(noun) the time of person’s life when they are a child
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
childhood (countable and uncountable, plural childhoods)
(mostly, uncountable) The state of being a child.
The time during which one is a child, from between infancy and puberty.
(by extension) The early stages of development of something.
Source: Wiktionary
Child"hood, n. Etym: [AS. cildhad; cild child + -had. See Child, and
hood.]
1. The state of being a child; the time in which persons are
children; the condition or time from infancy to puberty.
I have walked before you from my childhood. 1. Sam. xii. 2.
2. Children, taken collectively. [R.]
The well-governed childhood of this realm. Sir. W. Scott.
3. The commencement; the first period.
The childhood of our joy. Shak.
Second childhood, the state of being feeble and incapable from old
age.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition