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preemie

American  
[pree-mee] / ˈpri mi /

noun

Informal.

  1. an infant born prematurely; a preterm.

preemie British  
/ ˈpriːmɪ /

noun

  1. slang a premature infant

"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

Etymology

Origin of preemie

1925–30; prem(ature), respelled to represent the pronunciation unambiguously + -ie

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

When Kirstie Rickert’s daughter was born a preemie two years ago, diaper rashes were a major and relentless struggle.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

The child has since been transported to a neonatal intensive care unit in Albany, where he’s been able to receive preemie care much closer to home.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 11, 2023

You may have heard the term "preemie" before, perhaps when a loved one delivered a baby more than three weeks before the expected due date.

From Salon • Aug. 7, 2023

Many dolls are made to fit preemie, newborn, or even Build-a-Bear clothes.

From The Verge • Mar. 10, 2022

She knit preemie caps for the nursery at the nearby hospital, crocheted blankets for the shelter, and helped organize the food bank.

From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.