toddler
Americannoun
noun
-
a young child, usually one between the ages of one and two and a half
-
(modifier) designed or suitable for a toddler
toddler suits
Other Word Forms
- toddlerhood noun
Etymology
Origin of toddler
Explanation
Use the noun toddler to describe a small child who is just learning how to walk. A toddler is older than a baby but not quite old enough for elementary school. It's the time in a child's life when she reaches all kinds of milestones: walking, talking, playing with other kids, and more. The word toddler was first used in 1793, and it developed out of the Scottish word toddle, or "to run or walk with short, unsteady steps."
Vocabulary lists containing toddler
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for August 7–August 13, 2021
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocabulary for April 22–April 28, 2023
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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.
Parents Scott and Louisa, from Helston in Cornwall, sought private OIT for their five-year-old daughter Carey after she suffered an "extremely frightening" anaphylactic reaction as a toddler.
From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026
But in a town full of passionate belief, Lucia was willing to share that his toddler cast a refreshing vote of indifference.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026
One mother had brought along her toddler daughter.
From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026
The lord high treasurer bent down and handed a gold coin to a toddler doddling around as his family waited to meet the queen.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026
A dirty, shirtless boy lay with an arm resting over a toddler girl.
From "A Place to Belong" by Cynthia Kadohata
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.
