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childlike. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
childlike, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
childlike in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
childlike you have here. The definition of the word
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English
Etymology
child + -like
Pronunciation
Adjective
childlike (comparative more childlike, superlative most childlike)
- Innocent and trustful; credulous; artless.
- Synonyms: credulous, unworldly; see also Thesaurus:naive
- Of, like, or suitable for a child.
- Synonyms: childish, childly; see also Thesaurus:childlike
2019 May 8, Jon Bailes, “Save yourself! The video games casting us as helpless children”, in The Guardian:Even Mario is given childlike mannerisms – running open-armed like a fearless toddler, whooping with delight – to convey playful innocence.
Quotations
1859, Henry Barnard, Pestalozzi and Pestalozzianism:And on the other hand, fatherly and childlike feelings in the national spirit, are the sources of all pure national blessings.
1894, Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, Lessings Nathan Der Weise:He certainly has childlike simplicity, and all the qualities which go to make up a true Christian character.
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
innocent and trustful; credulous; artless
of, like, or suitable for a child
References
- “childlike”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
- “childlike”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.