infant
IHN-fuhnt
Infant (noun) means a very young child, roughly from birth up to around two years old. Example: “Every infant needs frequent feeding and lots of sleep during the first months.”
noun
1
A very young child, roughly from birth up to around two years old.
"Every infant needs frequent feeding and lots of sleep during the first months."
"The infant slept peacefully in her mother's arms."
"Infant mortality has dropped sharply over the last century."
adjective
1
Relating to the early years of primary school.
"My little brother is in the infant school, where children learn to read and count."
"The infant teachers decorated the hall for the autumn show."
"She teaches infant classes at the local primary school."
How to use infant
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA baby, or something to do with the very earliest stage of childhood or school.
Common pairings
infant mortality
infant school
newborn infant
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like infant.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- infants
- Third person singular
- infants
- Past tense
- infanted
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Every _____ needs frequent feeding and lots of sleep during the first months.
Etymology
From Latin īnfāns, literally "not able to speak" — in- ("not") + fāns, "speaking."
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “infant” mean?
The word “infant” means a very young child, roughly from birth up to around two years old. In plain terms, a baby, or something to do with the very earliest stage of childhood or school.
How do you pronounce “infant”?
“Infant” is pronounced IHN-fuhnt (/ˈɪn.fənt/ in IPA).
How do you use “infant” in a sentence?
Here is “infant” used in a sentence: “The infant slept peacefully in her mother's arms.”
What part of speech is “infant”?
Depending on how it is used, “infant” can be a noun and an adjective.
Where does the word “infant” come from?
The word “infant” comes from Latin. From Latin īnfāns, literally "not able to speak" — in- ("not") + fāns, "speaking.".
Is “infant” a common word?
“Infant” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “infant” have?
“Infant” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a very young child, roughly from birth up to around two years old.
What is the difference between an infant and a baby?
The words overlap, but 'infant' is a slightly more formal or technical term for a very young child, roughly from birth to around two years old, while 'baby' is the everyday word. Medical and legal texts tend to prefer 'infant'.
What is the difference between an infant and a toddler?
An infant is a very young child from birth up to around two, while a toddler is a child who has begun walking, typically from about one to three years old. The stages overlap around the end of the first year.
What is the difference between an infant and a newborn?
A newborn is a baby in its first weeks of life, while 'infant' covers a wider span from birth up to around two years. Every newborn is an infant, but not every infant is a newborn.
What is an infant school in British education?
In British education, 'infant' describes the earliest years of primary school. An infant school or infant class usually covers children roughly aged five to seven, before they move on to junior classes.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include infant:
