infant

American  

[in-fuhnt] / ˈɪn fənt /

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.

3. a beginner, as in experience or learning; novice.

   The new candidate is a political infant.

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

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adjective

1. of or relating to infants or infancy.

   infant years.

2. being in infancy.

   an infant king.

3. being in the earliest stage.

   an infant industry.

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

infant British  

/ ˈɪnfənt /

noun

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

2. law another word for minor

3. a young schoolchild, usually under the age of seven

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

5. (modifier)

   1. of or relating to young children or infancy

   2. designed or intended for young children

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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

Other Word Forms

• infanthood
  noun
• infantlike
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of infant

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

Explanation

An infant is a baby. When you were an infant, you weren't able to walk, talk, or feed yourself (but you had a pretty mean burp). Infant is most often used for a very young human, but you can also use it to talk about animal babies. People are considered infants from the moment of birth until approximately one year old, an age when many babies are starting to walk and talk. At this point, they're commonly called toddlers instead of infants. The Latin root is infantem, which as a noun means "babe in arms," and as an adjective "unable to speak."

Example Sentences

As the human body develops from an embryo into a fetus and eventually an infant, neurons form complex communication networks between the brain and spinal cord.

From Science Daily • May 29, 2026

The deceased were described as a man and a woman in their 20s, an elementary school-age child and a 4-month-old infant.

From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026

First-quarter results showed a decline in its infant formula business, and there was a cut to 2026 earnings guidance related to Abbott’s pricey purchase of Exact Sciences, a maker of a colon cancer diagnostic test.

From Barron's • May 15, 2026

His upturned eyes express calm wonder as his gaze meets that of the infant Jesus.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 11, 2026

She wasn’t looking at the camera; she was focused, totally and utterly absorbed, on the infant before her.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng

Related Words

• child
• kid
• newborn
• toddler