child´ish|ness

child´ish|ness
child|ish «CHYL dihsh», adjective.
1. of a child: »

sweet childish days (Wordsworth).

2. like a child; immature: »

The little boy will outgrow his childish fear of doctors.

3. not proper for a grown person; silly; foolish: »

Crying for things you can't have is childish.

SYNONYM(S): weak.
╂[Old English cildisc < cild child + -isc -ish]
–child´ish|ly, adverb.
–child´ish|ness, noun.
Usage Childish, childlike differ widely in their connotations when applied to adults, though both mean resembling or having the characteristics of a child. Childish is derogatory since it emphasizes characteristics which one might be expected to have outgrown. »

Pouting when scolded is childish.

Childlike, however, emphasizes such characteristics as innocence, simplicity, and frankness and suggests regret that most adults have lost them: »

He has a childlike love for a circus.


Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • child´ish|ly — child|ish «CHYL dihsh», adjective. 1. of a child: »sweet childish days (Wordsworth). 2. like a child; immature: »The little boy will outgrow his childish fear of doctors. 3. not proper for a grown person; silly; foolish: »C …   Useful english dictionary

  • child|ish — «CHYL dihsh», adjective. 1. of a child: »sweet childish days (Wordsworth). 2. like a child; immature: »The little boy will outgrow his childish fear of doctors. 3. not proper for a grown person; silly; foolish: »C …   Useful english dictionary

  • elf´ish|ness — elf|ish «EHL fihsh», adjective. like an elf; elfin; mischievous: »Thou strange and elfish child, whence didst thou come? (Hawthorne). Also, elvish. –elf´ish|ly, adverb. –elf´ish|ness, noun …   Useful english dictionary

  • ness — ness·ber·ry; ness·ler·iza·tion; ness·ler·ize; ness·ler s; new·fan·gled·ness; new·ness; news·i·ness; nice·ness; nig·gard·li·ness; nig·gard·ness; nigh·ness; nip·pi·ness; no·ble·ness; nois·i·ness; non·cha·lant·ness; north·er·li·ness; north·ness;… …   English syllables

  • ish — ish·er·wood; ish·kash·mi; ish·kyl·dite; ish·ma·el; ish·ma·el·ite; ish·ma·el·it·ish; ish·ma·el·it·ish; is·land·ish; ivory tower·ish; jad·ish; jew·ish·ness; jin·go·ish; kent·ish; kent·ish·man; kick·ish; kit·ten·ish; knav·ish; knav·ish·ly;… …   English syllables

  • child — child; child·hood; child·ing; child·ish; child·less; child·ly; fair·child·ite; grand·child; twi·child; un·child; child·ish·ly; child·ish·ness; child·less·ness; child·like·ness; …   English syllables

  • elf´ish|ly — elf|ish «EHL fihsh», adjective. like an elf; elfin; mischievous: »Thou strange and elfish child, whence didst thou come? (Hawthorne). Also, elvish. –elf´ish|ly, adverb. –elf´ish|ness, noun …   Useful english dictionary

  • elf|ish — «EHL fihsh», adjective. like an elf; elfin; mischievous: »Thou strange and elfish child, whence didst thou come? (Hawthorne). Also, elvish. –elf´ish|ly, adverb. –elf´ish|ness, noun …   Useful english dictionary

  • childishness — child·ish·ness …   English syllables

  • childish — child|ish [ tʃaıldıʃ ] adjective * 1. ) behaving in a silly and annoying way, like a small child a ) used about behavior that is not reasonable or sensible: a childish outburst of temper It s simply childish to refuse to talk to her. 2. ) typical …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

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