infant

[ in-fuhnt ]

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.

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

/ ˈɪnfənt /

noun

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

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

Derived Forms

• ˈinfantˌhood, noun

Other Words From

• in·fant·hood noun
• in·fant·like adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of infant¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of infant¹

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

Example Sentences

Childcare for infants can cost on average up to $24,000 a year, which is just shy of half the national average family income.

From Fortune

Amnesty later discovered that even those 19 infants had died before the Iraqi invasion.

From Ozy

Puopolo is the lead author of AAP’s guidance, which now states that a baby is at low risk of infection when staying with the mother after delivery if she wears a mask and cleans hands before holding her infant.

From Science News

The 53 infants that had a one-month telemedicine visit continued to show no signs of the illness.

From Science News

As infants, we observe our parents and teachers, and from them we learn how to walk, talk, read—and use smartphones.

From Singularity Hub 

Within six days, however, the infant was admitted to a pediatric hospital with diarrhea, bluish skin, and respiratory failure.

From The Daily Beast

By the 1950s the rapid assignment of gender to an ambiguously gendered infant had become standard.

From The Daily Beast

Increased access to reproductive healthcare has resulted in better maternal and infant health outcomes.

From The Daily Beast

Two bowls were set before the infant—one containing gold and jewels, the other hot coals.

From The Daily Beast

An infant too young to have received his first round of shots gasps for air after having been infected with pertussis.

From The Daily Beast

Soon after that, I wrote you in regard to the condition in which we found this infant Church and Colony.

From Project Gutenberg

And then Jolly Robin would feel ashamed that he had even thought of being so cruel to an infant bird, even if he was a Cowbird.

From Project Gutenberg

Two or three more infant deaths intervened before the birth of Marcella.

From Project Gutenberg

There was a picture of Madame Lebrun with Robert as a baby, seated in her lap, a round-faced infant with a fist in his mouth.

From Project Gutenberg

Seen in this light, infant mortality and the cruel wastage of disease were viewed with complacence.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• child
• kid
• newborn
• toddler