infant

American  

[in-fuhnt] / ˈɪn fənt /

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 British  

/ ˈɪnfənt /

noun

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

2. 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

Other Word Forms

• infanthood noun
• infantlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of infant

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

Example Sentences

Mitford, suddenly widowed and with an infant daughter, found work in Washington, D.C., at the Office of Price Administration, pursuing violators of wartime regulations.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

Once firefighters arrived and extracted the infant, they began performing CPR, but it looked like the baby was turning blue, she said.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026

Despite a 17% drop in 2025 births, policies create investment niches in fertility, infant products, and family infrastructure, viewed as a consumption policy.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

Born to Jamaican parents in Mitcham, south London, in 1965, Ricky Walters was blinded in one eye by broken glass as an infant and took to wearing an eye patch.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

However, guidelines are given below for infant and toddler music experiences.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

Related Words

• child
• kid
• newborn
• toddler