diff --git a/doc/api/child_process.md b/doc/api/child_process.md
index 3f82fb56a88..87b17ae441b 100644
--- a/doc/api/child_process.md
+++ b/doc/api/child_process.md
@@ -233,7 +233,8 @@ If a `callback` function is provided, it is called with the arguments
 `error` will be an instance of [`Error`][]. The `error.code` property will be
 the exit code of the process. By convention, any exit code other than `0`
 indicates an error. `error.signal` will be the signal that terminated the
-process.
+process. `error.timedOut` will be `true` if the process was killed because
+the `timeout` option expired.
 
 The `stdout` and `stderr` arguments passed to the callback will contain the
 stdout and stderr output of the child process. By default, Node.js will decode
@@ -2314,6 +2315,32 @@ subprocess.stdout.on('data', (data) => {
 The `subprocess.stdout` property can be `null` or `undefined`
 if the child process could not be successfully spawned.
 
+### `subprocess.timedOut`
+
+<!-- YAML
+added: REPLACEME
+-->
+
+* Type: {boolean} Set to `true` when the child process is killed because the
+  `timeout` option expired.
+
+The `subprocess.timedOut` property indicates whether the `timeout` option of
+[`child_process.spawn()`][], [`child_process.exec()`][],
+[`child_process.execFile()`][] or [`child_process.fork()`][] expired and the
+child process was sent the `killSignal` as a result. Like
+[`subprocess.killed`][], it does not indicate that the child process has
+terminated yet.
+
+```js
+const { spawn } = require('node:child_process');
+
+const subprocess = spawn('sleep', ['10'], { timeout: 100 });
+
+subprocess.on('exit', (code, signal) => {
+  console.log(subprocess.timedOut); // true
+});
+```
+
 ### `subprocess.unref()`
 
 <!-- YAML
@@ -2429,6 +2456,7 @@ or [`child_process.fork()`][].
 [`subprocess.disconnect()`]: #subprocessdisconnect
 [`subprocess.exitCode`]: #subprocessexitcode
 [`subprocess.kill()`]: #subprocesskillsignal
+[`subprocess.killed`]: #subprocesskilled
 [`subprocess.send()`]: #subprocesssendmessage-sendhandle-options-callback
 [`subprocess.signalCode`]: #subprocesssignalcode
 [`subprocess.stderr`]: #subprocessstderr
diff --git a/lib/child_process.js b/lib/child_process.js
index 6b411f43f07..03cc2b47f34 100644
--- a/lib/child_process.js
+++ b/lib/child_process.js
@@ -426,6 +426,7 @@ function execFile(file, args, options, callback) {
     });
 
     ex.cmd = cmd;
+    ex.timedOut = child.timedOut;
     callback(ex, stdout, stderr);
   }
 
@@ -450,16 +451,19 @@ function execFile(file, args, options, callback) {
 
     killed = true;
     try {
-      child.kill(options.killSignal);
+      return child.kill(options.killSignal);
     } catch (e) {
       ex = e;
       exithandler();
     }
+    return false;
   }
 
   if (options.timeout > 0) {
     timeoutId = setTimeout(function delayedKill() {
-      kill();
+      // The child may have exited already, with a descendant keeping its
+      // stdio open: kill() reports whether the signal was actually sent.
+      child.timedOut = kill();
       timeoutId = null;
     }, options.timeout);
   }
@@ -895,7 +899,9 @@ function spawn(file, args, options) {
     let timeoutId = setTimeout(() => {
       if (timeoutId) {
         try {
-          child.kill(killSignal);
+          // The child may have exited already, with a descendant keeping its
+          // stdio open: kill() reports whether the signal was actually sent.
+          child.timedOut = child.kill(killSignal);
         } catch (err) {
           child.emit('error', err);
         }
diff --git a/lib/internal/child_process.js b/lib/internal/child_process.js
index 06daf2183db..fa66ce38c47 100644
--- a/lib/internal/child_process.js
+++ b/lib/internal/child_process.js
@@ -291,6 +291,7 @@ function ChildProcess() {
   this.signalCode = null;
   this.exitCode = null;
   this.killed = false;
+  this.timedOut = false;
   this.spawnfile = null;
 
   this._handle = new Process();
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-child-process-exec-timeout-expire.js b/test/parallel/test-child-process-exec-timeout-expire.js
index 0fd4f85cbc9..e7c3b17c3ec 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-child-process-exec-timeout-expire.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-child-process-exec-timeout-expire.js
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ cp.exec(cmd, {
 
   let sigterm = 'SIGTERM';
   assert.strictEqual(err.killed, true);
+  assert.strictEqual(err.timedOut, true);
   // TODO OpenBSD returns a null signal and 143 for code
   if (common.isOpenBSD) {
     assert.strictEqual(err.code, 143);
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-child-process-exec-timeout-kill.js b/test/parallel/test-child-process-exec-timeout-kill.js
index 4938cea8a22..c5c651749ed 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-child-process-exec-timeout-kill.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-child-process-exec-timeout-kill.js
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ if (process.argv[2] === 'child') {
 const [cmd, opts] = common.escapePOSIXShell`"${process.execPath}" "${__filename}" child`;
 
 // Test with a different kill signal.
-cp.exec(cmd, {
+const child = cp.exec(cmd, {
   ...opts,
   timeout: kExpiringParentTimer,
   killSignal: 'SIGKILL'
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ cp.exec(cmd, {
   console.log('[stderr]', stderr.trim());
 
   assert.strictEqual(err.killed, true);
+  assert.strictEqual(err.timedOut, true);
+  assert.strictEqual(child.timedOut, true);
   assert.strictEqual(err.code, null);
   assert.strictEqual(err.signal, 'SIGKILL');
   assert.strictEqual(err.cmd, cmd);
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-child-process-exec-timeout-not-expired.js b/test/parallel/test-child-process-exec-timeout-not-expired.js
index 0d0c0f47f9d..404e4d8af35 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-child-process-exec-timeout-not-expired.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-child-process-exec-timeout-not-expired.js
@@ -22,14 +22,35 @@ if (process.argv[2] === 'child') {
   return;
 }
 
+// The property is also present on errors that are not caused by the timeout.
+cp.execFile('this-command-does-not-exist', { timeout: 2 ** 30 },
+            common.mustCall((err) => {
+              assert.strictEqual(err.code, 'ENOENT');
+              assert.strictEqual(err.timedOut, false);
+            }));
+
+// The timeout expires after the child exited, while a descendant still keeps
+// its stdio open: the signal is not sent, so timedOut stays false.
+{
+  const child = cp.execFile(process.execPath, ['-e', `
+    const { spawn } = require('child_process');
+    spawn(process.execPath, ['-e', 'setTimeout(() => {}, ${common.platformTimeout(1500)})'],
+          { stdio: 'inherit' }).unref();
+  `], { timeout: common.platformTimeout(500) }, common.mustSucceed(() => {
+    assert.strictEqual(child.exitCode, 0);
+    assert.strictEqual(child.timedOut, false);
+  }));
+}
+
 const [cmd, opts] = common.escapePOSIXShell`"${process.execPath}" "${__filename}" child`;
 
-cp.exec(cmd, {
+const child = cp.exec(cmd, {
   ...opts,
   timeout: kTimeoutNotSupposedToExpire,
 }, common.mustSucceed((stdout, stderr) => {
   assert.strictEqual(stdout.trim(), 'child stdout');
   assert.strictEqual(stderr.trim(), 'child stderr');
+  assert.strictEqual(child.timedOut, false);
 }));
 
 cleanupStaleProcess(__filename);
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-child-process-spawn-timeout-kill-signal.js b/test/parallel/test-child-process-spawn-timeout-kill-signal.js
index 27df4e67857..0651c82933f 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-child-process-spawn-timeout-kill-signal.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-child-process-spawn-timeout-kill-signal.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
-const { mustCall } = require('../common');
+const common = require('../common');
+const { mustCall } = common;
 const assert = require('assert');
 const fixtures = require('../common/fixtures');
 const { spawn } = require('child_process');
@@ -12,7 +13,47 @@ const aliveForeverFile = 'child-process-stay-alive-forever.js';
   const cp = spawn(process.execPath, [fixtures.path(aliveForeverFile)], {
     timeout: 5,
   });
-  cp.on('exit', mustCall((code, ks) => assert.strictEqual(ks, 'SIGTERM')));
+  assert.strictEqual(cp.timedOut, false);
+  cp.on('exit', mustCall((code, ks) => {
+    assert.strictEqual(ks, 'SIGTERM');
+    assert.strictEqual(cp.timedOut, true);
+  }));
+}
+
+{
+  // Verify timedOut stays false when the child exits before the timeout
+  const cp = spawn(process.execPath, ['-e', ''], { timeout: 2 ** 30 });
+  cp.on('exit', mustCall((code) => {
+    assert.strictEqual(code, 0);
+    assert.strictEqual(cp.timedOut, false);
+  }));
+}
+
+{
+  // Verify timedOut stays false when the child exits in time but a descendant
+  // keeps its stdio open past the timeout, so that the timer fires after exit.
+  const cp = spawn(process.execPath, ['-e', `
+    const { spawn } = require('child_process');
+    spawn(process.execPath, ['-e', 'setTimeout(() => {}, ${common.platformTimeout(1500)})'],
+          { stdio: 'inherit' }).unref();
+  `], { timeout: common.platformTimeout(500) });
+  cp.on('exit', mustCall((code) => {
+    assert.strictEqual(code, 0);
+    assert.strictEqual(cp.timedOut, false);
+  }));
+  cp.on('close', mustCall(() => assert.strictEqual(cp.timedOut, false)));
+}
+
+{
+  // Verify timedOut stays false when the child is killed by the caller
+  const cp = spawn(process.execPath, [fixtures.path(aliveForeverFile)], {
+    timeout: 2 ** 30,
+  });
+  cp.on('spawn', mustCall(() => cp.kill()));
+  cp.on('exit', mustCall(() => {
+    assert.strictEqual(cp.killed, true);
+    assert.strictEqual(cp.timedOut, false);
+  }));
 }
 
 {