infant

[ in-fuh nt ]

/ ˈɪn fənt /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR infant ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a child during the earliest period of its life, especially before he or she can walk; baby.

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

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

anything in the first stage of existence or progress.

adjective

of or relating to infants or infancy: infant years.

being in infancy: an infant king.

being in the earliest stage: an infant industry.

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

Nearby words

Origin of infant

1350–1400; < 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 < Anglo-French < Latin, as above

Related formsin·fant·hood, nounin·fant·like, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for infant

Within six days, however, the infant was admitted to a pediatric hospital with diarrhea, bluish skin, and respiratory failure.
Are Water Births Toxic to Babies?|Brandy Zadrozny|December 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Increased access to reproductive healthcare has resulted in better maternal and infant health outcomes.
What Brazil’s Dilma Rousseff Can Teach Hillary Clinton|Heather Arnet|October 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Two bowls were set before the infant—one containing gold and jewels, the other hot coals.
Jon Stewart and 'Meet The Press' Would Have Been One Unhappy Marriage|Lloyd Grove|October 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
An infant too young to have received his first round of shots gasps for air after having been infected with pertussis.
Hey Anti-Vaxxers, Watch NOVA: Vaccines--Calling the Shots|Russell Saunders|September 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Next door is a shop selling fake vintage Ramones cover T-shirts and infant onesises.
New York's Sexiest Kosher Corsets|Emily Shire|August 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Hun answered that the infant had no propertie in the shet, wherupon the priest ascited him in the spiritual courte.
Early English Dramatists--Recently Recovered "Lost" Tudor Plays with some others|Various
The group is composed of an American Hunter, in the act of seizing an Indian who was about to tomahawk a mother and her infant.
The International Monthly, Volume 4, No. 2, September, 1851|Various
The pulse of an infant, or of a man of small stature, is more frequent than that of a grown person, or a man of a large size.
Buffon's Natural History. Volume IV (of 10)|Georges Louis Leclerc de Buffon
Beside his cot was seated his mother; his wife, bent over the bed, held her infant in her arms.
The Sword of Honor, volumes 1 & 2|Eugne Sue
Acrisius, on hearing of his daughter's disgrace, caused both her and the infant to be shut up in a chest and cast into the sea.
Bible Myths and their Parallels in other Religions|T. W. Doane

British Dictionary definitions for infant

infant

/ (ˈɪnfənt) /

noun

a child at the earliest stage of its life; baby

law another word for minor (def. 10)

British a young schoolchild, usually under the age of seven

a person who is beginning or inexperienced in an activity

(modifier)

of or relating to young children or infancy
designed or intended for young children

adjective

in an early stage of development; nascentan infant science or industry

law of or relating to the legal status of infancy

Derived Formsinfanthood, noun

Word Origin for infant

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for infant

infant

late 14c., "child during earliest period of life" (sometimes extended to age 7 and sometimes including a fetus), from Latin infantem (nominative infans) "young child, babe in arms," noun use of adjective meaning "not able to speak," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + fans, present participle of fari "speak" (see fame (n.)). As an adjective, 1580s, from the noun.

Medicine definitions for infant

infant

[ ĭn′fənt ]

n.

A child in the earliest period of life, especially before he or she can walk.

infant

noun

adjective

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Nearby words

Origin of infant

Examples from the Web for infant

infant

noun

adjective

Word Origin for infant

infant

infant

n.