noun
- the quality or state of being childlike; innocence, simplicity, or lack of sophistication characteristic of a child
Usage: often used positively to describe endearing qualities such as wonder, trust, or openness; can also describe naïveté or lack of maturity in a neutral or mildly negative sense
Examples
- The artist's work was admired for its childlikeness and sense of wonder.
- Her childlikeness made her trust people too easily.
- Despite his age, he retained a certain childlikeness in his approach to life.
- The painting captured the childlikeness of the young subject's expression.
- His childlikeness was both charming and occasionally frustrating to his colleagues.
- She appreciated the childlikeness in his enthusiasm for simple pleasures.