noun
Uncommon
infancy
IHN-fuhn-see
Infancy (noun) means the earliest stage of childhood, before a baby can walk and talk. Example: “She was adopted in infancy and grew up not knowing her birth parents.”
noun
1
The earliest stage of childhood, before a baby can walk and talk.
"She was adopted in infancy and grew up not knowing her birth parents."
2
The very early stage in the development of something.
"Space tourism is still in its infancy."
"The technology is still in its infancy and could change a lot in coming years."
How to use infancy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe very beginning stage — either of a person's life, or of how developed something is.
Common pairings
still in its infancy
in early infancy
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Word forms
- Plural
- infancies
Fill the gap
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She was adopted in _____ and grew up not knowing her birth parents.
Etymology
From Latin īnfantia, "early childhood," from infant + -cy.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for infancy
See all rhymes for infancy →Frequently asked questions
What does “infancy” mean?
The word “infancy” means the earliest stage of childhood, before a baby can walk and talk. In plain terms, the very beginning stage — either of a person's life, or of how developed something is.
How do you pronounce “infancy”?
“Infancy” is pronounced IHN-fuhn-see (/ˈɪnfənsi/ in IPA).
How do you use “infancy” in a sentence?
Here is “infancy” used in a sentence: “She was adopted in infancy and grew up not knowing her birth parents.”
What is another word for “infancy”?
Words with a similar meaning to “infancy” include infanthood, babyhood and babyship.
What part of speech is “infancy”?
“Infancy” is a noun.
Where does the word “infancy” come from?
The word “infancy” comes from Latin. From Latin īnfantia, "early childhood," from infant + -cy.
Is “infancy” a common word?
“Infancy” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “infancy” have?
“Infancy” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the earliest stage of childhood, before a baby can walk and talk.
