infantilism

American  

[in-fuhn-tl-iz-uhm, -tahy-liz-, in-fan-tl-iz-uhm] / ˈɪn fən tlˌɪz əm, -taɪˌlɪz-, ɪnˈfæn tlˌɪz əm /

noun

1. the persistence in an adult of markedly childish anatomical, physiological, or psychological characteristics.

2. an infantile act, trait, etc., especially in an adult.

3. a speech disorder characterized by speech and voice patterns that are typical of very young children.

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infantilism British  

/ ɪnˈfæntɪˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. psychol

   1. a condition in which an older child or adult is mentally or physically undeveloped

   2. isolated instances of infantile behaviour in mature persons

2. childish speech; baby talk

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Etymology

Origin of infantilism

First recorded in 1890–95; infantile + -ism

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

infantilism

Because much of what royalty does amounts to public relations for itself, its occupational hazard is infantilism, to which several merry wives of Windsor and their disoriented husbands succumbed in recent decades.

From Washington Post ● Sep. 8, 2022

He’s speaking about how she catches the “physical awkwardness, social infantilism and self-regard” of certain men.

From New York Times ● Oct. 18, 2016

Not even Tolkien’s vast philological scholarship, his deep knowledge of mythology, and his world-building skills could impress what Moorcock and company saw as a troublesome infantilism inherent in Tolkien’s work.

From The New Yorker ● Dec. 31, 2014

Even my son’s embarrassed by the infantilism of my tastes, but there’s some good stuff out there now.

From The Guardian ● Oct. 25, 2014

In either case there is also an infantilism, a retention of the infantile mental traits, a lack of development of the adult mental attitudes and reactions.

From The Glands Regulating Personality by Louis Berman M.D.

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Related Words

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