cot death

American  

noun

British.

1. sudden infant death syndrome.

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cot death British  

noun

1. Technical name: sudden infant death syndrome.  Also called (US and Canadian): crib death.  the unexplained sudden death of an infant during sleep

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Etymology

Origin of cot death

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cot death

Previously known as cot death, Sids is the sudden and unexplained death during sleep of an otherwise healthy baby aged up to 12 months.

From BBC ● May 5, 2026

When Callan, the other striker, was grieving the death of a child to cot death he saw a sensitive side to his teammate.

From The Guardian ● Jun. 13, 2020

Second-hand smoke harms children's lungs and has been linked to an increased risk of cot death in babies.

From BBC ● May 8, 2017

A sudden change of mood and pace occurred when McGovern's character, Simon, sings a lament for his baby, a cot death victim.

From The Guardian ● Apr. 20, 2013

Another helped to cement advice that babies should be put to sleep on their backs to reduce the risk of cot death, by showing that this sleeping position did not cause any developmental delays.

From Nature ● Apr. 11, 2012