toddler
Americannoun
-
toddlers
plural
noun
-
a young child, usually one between the ages of one and two and a half
-
(modifier) designed or suitable for a toddler
toddler suits
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of toddler
Explanation
Use the noun toddler to describe a small child who is just learning how to walk. A toddler is older than a baby but not quite old enough for elementary school. It's the time in a child's life when she reaches all kinds of milestones: walking, talking, playing with other kids, and more. The word toddler was first used in 1793, and it developed out of the Scottish word toddle, or "to run or walk with short, unsteady steps."
Vocabulary lists containing toddler
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Example Sentences
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See Examples For:
Whether or not you think she’s guilty of fraud, she is about to be separated from her infant and toddler until they’re in grade school.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026
At the Shipwreck Cove playground, Cameron and Zoe Fausett let their toddler play as his baby brother slept in a stroller.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026
But she constantly worried her choices, from sleep schedules to handling toddler tantrums, were "ruining their lives forever".
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
A one-year-old toddler stumbles around an immigration court in Louisiana, crying.
From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026
Opal folded her lower lip down so that she looked like a large toddler on the verge of a tantrum.
From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff
Saturday's schedule saw the return of events for junior runners and toddlers, after fears over Storm Amy last year forced them to be cancelled.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
As Lenny left the stage, an exodus of crying babies, sugar-crashed toddlers and bleary-eyed parents trickled down the steep stairs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
The panel of doctors, academics, youth representatives and parents recommended no screens at all for babies and toddlers, and that children up to 12 should only be allowed "age-appropriate social media" under adult supervision.
From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026
Nearby, a woman with timeless preschool-teacher energy played the accordion for a ring of toddlers as shoppers crowded around nearly white ears of sweet corn.
From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026
She’s overdressed for a day spent with toddlers, maybe a bit too professional-looking in her pale yellow skirt and white cotton blouse, her thick, dark brown hair twisted into a low bun.
From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed
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