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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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
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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.
See Examples For:
The piece’s hero image is Waters, sitting on a couch with what appears to be a toddler while, blurred in the foreground, a pair of baby feet dangle into the frame.
From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026
She also had full custody of her baby and toddler and limited job prospects.
From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026
It isn’t the first time Play-Doh has attempted to peddle its squishy wares outside of the toddler aisle.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
Stefan said he initially thought the toddler was swimming, before the reality "clicked" and he jumped in and pulled the him out.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
As a toddler, whenever I had tantrums, Mom would run a warm bath and dunk me in, and I’d calm down.
From "The House That Lou Built" by Mae Respicio
It’s not a fussy place, with bright lighting and no candles, an environment in which toddlers could, in theory, careen around.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
However, after Noah's death, another Ofsted inspection at Fairytales found concerns that babies and toddlers were at serious risk.
From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026
On their days off they look after their baby and twin toddlers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
The brightly colored “CoComelon” cartoons have become must-watch videos for babies and toddlers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 12, 2026
There were kids in my class who'd been taking courses at A.C.T. since they were toddlers.
From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi
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.
