1.
[syn: dotage, second childhood, senility]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Childhood \Child"hood\ (ch[imac]ld"h[oo^]d), n. [AS. cildh[=a]d;
cild child + -h[=a]d. See Child, and -hood.]
1. The state of being a child; the time in which persons are
children; the condition or time from infancy to puberty.
[1913 Webster]
I have walked before you from my childhood. --1.
Sam. xii. 2.
[1913 Webster]
2. Children, taken collectively. [R.]
[1913 Webster]
The well-governed childhood of this realm. --Sir. W.
Scott.
[1913 Webster]
3. The commencement; the first period.
[1913 Webster]
The childhood of our joy. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
Second childhood, the state of being feeble and incapable
from old age.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
second childhood
n 1: mental infirmity as a consequence of old age; sometimes
shown by foolish infatuations [syn: dotage, second
childhood, senility]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:
42 Moby Thesaurus words for "second childhood":
advanced age, advanced years, age of retirement,
an incurable disease, anility, caducity, childishness, debility,
decline, decline of life, declining years, decrepitude, dotage,
dotardism, eld, elderliness, feebleness, green old age,
hale old age, hoary age, infirm old age, infirmity,
infirmity of age, longevity, old age, oldness, pensionable age,
ricketiness, ripe old age, senectitude, senile debility,
senile dementia, senile psychosis, senile weakness, senilism,
senility, senior citizenship, superannuation, the downward slope,
the golden years, vale of years, white hairs