newborn

American  

[noo-bawrn, nyoo-] / ˈnuˈbɔrn, ˈnju- /

adjective

1. recently or only just born.

2. born anew; reborn.

   a newborn faith in human goodness.

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noun

• newborn,
  plural
• newborns
  plural

1. a newborn infant; neonate.

newborn British  

/ ˈnjuːˌbɔːn /

adjective

1. 1. recently or just born

   2. ( as collective noun; preceded by the )

      the newborn

2. (of hope, faith, etc) reborn

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• newborn
  plural
• newborns
  plural

Etymology

Origin of newborn

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at new, born

Explanation

A newborn is literally a baby animal (including us human animals) who was born in the past month. Figuratively, newborn describes anything recently born or created, like a newborn interest in vocabulary. Little babies are newborns until they're a month old — four weeks is the official human newborn cut-off age. Then they’re just regular ol’ babies. Other things can be newborn as long as they’re brand new — a newborn restaurant was opened recently, a newborn celebrity might be 18 but she just got famous. You could have a newborn fear if you recently became scared of something. Most newborns are not scary, though. (Unless you’re babysitting one.)

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

newborn newborns

Sitting on the ground outside the hospital's entrance was a father who had lost his newborn son, and was now haunted by fears his wife might also die.

From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026

This answer may not only prove fatal to her newborn political career.

From Slate ● Aug. 25, 2026

That means the newborn C. theotonicus was about 14% of the body mass it eventually reached.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 13, 2026

Since Ophelia's diagnosis, the family has joined hundreds of others across the UK in campaigning for SMA to be added to the NHS newborn heel-prick blood spot test for all babies.

From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026

Bateson was acutely aware of the potential social and political impact of the newborn science.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Researchers found that a combination of therapies administered to newborns within three days of birth could permanently eliminate the virus.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 13, 2026

For the government’s initial $1,000 contribution for recent newborns, no, there is no deadline to claim the money.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026

The probe also found 59 sleeping bags with hoods or without armholes and 37 sleep pillows marketed for newborns, despite concerns about suffocation and overheating, as well as NHS safe sleep guidance.

From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026

That includes nearly 1.5 million accounts for newborns that will receive $1,000 in government-funded seed money.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 1, 2026

“The best thing for him is to be with his mother. Not around two newborns and a father he barely sees,” she says testily.

From "Starfish" by Akemi Dawn Bowman