Childhood Friend: Definition and Usage

Meaning 1：friend from childhood (childhood friend)

childhood friend 🔊

/ˈtʃaɪldhʊd frend/

A friend you had when you were a child, often with shared memories from growing up.

Two children playing in a park, symbolizing a childhood friend bond

friend from childhood 🔊

➕

/frend frəm ˈtʃaɪldhʊd/

A person who was your friend when you were a child, typically involving shared memories and experiences from growing up.

📁 Category：Social Roles 🔖 Level：Elementary

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

'Childhood' (child + -hood) + 'friend' (Old English frēond).

💡 Mnemonic

Recall your own earliest playmate—that laughter-filled time makes the word stick.

📖 Example

I still keep in touch with my childhood friend from elementary school; we often share old photos and laugh about our silly adventures. 🔊 I still keep in touch with my childhood friend from elementary school; we often share old photos and laugh about our silly adventures.

🔗 Collocations

childhood friend from kindergarten – A friend known since kindergarten

lifelong childhood friend – A friend who remains close since childhood

childhood friend's reunion – A gathering of friends from childhood

🔄 Synonyms

childhood buddy (n.) – An informal term for a friend from childhood.

old friend (n.) – A friend you have known for a long time, often since childhood.

school friend (n.) – A friend made during school years, often overlapping with childhood.

🚫 Antonyms

new friend (n.) – A friend recently made, not from childhood.

recent acquaintance (n.) – A person you just met, lacking long-term history.

📖 Cultural Story

The concept of childhood friends is central in many cultures, celebrated in literature like 'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer' where Tom and Huck's bond defines their youth.