infant

[ in-fuhnt ]
See synonyms for: infantinfantsinfanthood on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a child during the earliest period of their life, especially before they can walk; baby.

  2. Law. a person who is not of full age, especially one who has not reached the age of 18 years; a minor.

  1. a beginner, as in experience or learning; novice: The new candidate is a political infant.

  2. anything in the first stage of existence or progress.

adjective
  1. of or relating to infants or infancy: infant years.

  2. being in infancy: an infant king.

  1. being in the earliest stage: an infant industry.

  2. of or relating to the legal state of infancy; minor.

Origin of infant

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; from Latin infant- (stem of infāns ) “small child,” literally, “one unable to speak,” equivalent to in- in-3 + -fāns, present participle of fārī “to speak”; replacing Middle English enfaunt, from Anglo-French, from Latin, as above

Other words from infant

  • in·fant·hood, noun
  • in·fant·like, adjective

Words Nearby infant

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use infant in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for infant

infant

/ (ˈɪnfənt) /


noun
  1. a child at the earliest stage of its life; baby

  2. law another word for minor (def. 10)

  1. British a young schoolchild, usually under the age of seven

  2. a person who is beginning or inexperienced in an activity

  3. (modifier)

    • of or relating to young children or infancy

    • designed or intended for young children

adjective
  1. in an early stage of development; nascent: an infant science or industry

  2. law of or relating to the legal status of infancy

Origin of infant

1
C14: from Latin infāns, literally: speechless, from in- 1 + fārī to speak

Derived forms of infant

  • infanthood, noun

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