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# childish

adjective (childish, more childish, most childish)

«childish» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Childish describes an older person or their behaviour when it is silly or immature, like a small child's — usually as a criticism. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/childish/#m1)
2. Childish means belonging to or like a child: «childish handwriting». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/childish/#m2)

### In the lessons

In stories and arguments «Don't be childish!» tells someone to act their age. In everyday talk it criticises sulking, name-calling or tantrums. In descriptions it can just mean like a young child, without blame. Compare «childlike», which is positive.

### Examples

- Stop being so childish and say sorry. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/childish/#x1)
- It was childish to hide his pencil case. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/childish/#x2)
- The note was written in childish handwriting. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/childish/#x3)
- Dad's jokes are a bit childish, but we laugh. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/childish/#x4)
- Calling names is childish. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/childish/#x5)
- She thought the cartoon was too childish for her. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/childish/#x6)
- His games, too, were quite different; they were not so childish. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/childish/#x7)

### Note

Usually negative. «Childlike» is positive (innocent and full of wonder). Do not say a child is childish for acting their age.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «childish» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/childish/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«childish» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/childish.html) on Mova free.