childlike

adjective
UK: /ˈtʃaɪldlaɪk/
US: /ˈtʃaɪldlaɪk/

  1. Having qualities of a child, such as innocence or simplicity.

    1. She has a childlike wonder about nature.
    2. His childlike enthusiasm for the project was refreshing; everyone felt inspired.

  2. In a positive way, resembling or appropriate to a child.

    1. Her eyes had a childlike quality.
    2. The story is told with a childlike simplicity, making it accessible to everyone.

  3. In a negative way, immature or silly.

    1. He showed childlike behaviour at the meeting.
    2. I wish he'd stop these childlike antics and act like an adult when around the clients.

Synonyms

naive immature youthful childish innocent

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "childlike" in English means: Having qualities of a child, such as innocence or simplicity., In a positive way, resembling or appropriate to a child., In a negative way, immature or silly..

The phonetic transcription of "childlike" is /ˈtʃaɪldlaɪk/ in British English and /ˈtʃaɪldlaɪk/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "childlike": naive, immature, youthful, childish, innocent.

Example usage of "childlike": "She has a childlike wonder about nature.". More examples on the page.