childish

[ chahyl-dish ]

adjective

1. of, like, or befitting a child:

   childish games.

2. puerile; weak; silly:

   childish fears.

childish

/ ˈtʃaɪldɪʃ /

adjective

1. in the manner of, belonging to, or suitable to a child
2. foolish or petty; puerile

   childish fears

Derived Forms

• ˈchildishly, adverb
• ˈchildishness, noun

Other Words From

• childish·ly adverb
• childish·ness noun
• over·childish adjective
• over·childish·ly adverb
• over·childish·ness noun
• un·childish adjective
• un·childish·ly adverb
• un·childish·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of childish¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English childisch, Old English cildisc; child + -ish ¹

Synonym Study

Childish, infantile, childlike refer to characteristics or qualities of childhood. The ending -ish often has unfavorable connotations; childish therefore refers to characteristics that are undesirable and unpleasant: childish selfishness, outbursts of temper. Infantile, originally a general word, now often carries an even stronger idea of disapproval or scorn than does childish: infantile reasoning, behavior. The ending -like has pleasing or neutral connotations; childlike therefore refers to the characteristics that are desirable and admirable: childlike innocence, trust.

Example Sentences

The premise undergirding the campaign was that lazy, childish men should be the leaders of society, not just despite but because they won't do the work to earn it.

From Salon

“Too many people are willing to write off his childish, mean-spirited antics by saying, ‘Well, Trump’s just being Trump.’”

From Los Angeles Times

Trump ally and fellow Hitler-praiser Nick Fuentes illustrated this "childish kings" view of manhood in a nutshell in a recent tweet: "If Trump loses, blame women."

From Salon

As a pitch for fascism, "make the liberals fake-smile at me" is exquisitely childish.

From Salon

In practice, as Ginny Hogan at the Nation wrote, it's mostly defined by the childish behavior of men who should have outgrown this long ago: silly memes, lazy trolling and lots of whining.

From Salon

Related Words

• childlike
• foolish
• naive
• youthful