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adjective

infantile

IHN-fuhn-tyl

Infantile (adjective) means relating to infants or early childhood. Example: “The doctor checked for signs of infantile illness.”

adjective
1
Relating to infants or early childhood.
"The doctor checked for signs of infantile illness."
2
Childish and immature in a way that's inappropriate for an adult.
"His infantile behaviour at the meeting embarrassed the whole team."

How to use infantile

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishBaby-like — either literally about infants, or used as an insult for grown-up behaviour that's silly and immature.

Common pairings
infantile behaviour infantile tantrum

Word forms

more infantile comparative, most infantile superlative

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The doctor checked for signs of _____ illness.

Etymology

From Latin infantilis, "pertaining to an infant," from īnfāns.

Origin: Latin

Rhymes for infantile

See all rhymes for infantile →

Frequently asked questions

What does “infantile” mean?

The word “infantile” means relating to infants or early childhood. In plain terms, baby-like — either literally about infants, or used as an insult for grown-up behaviour that's silly and immature.

How do you pronounce “infantile”?

“Infantile” is pronounced IHN-fuhn-tyl (/ˈɪnfəntaɪl/ in IPA).

How do you use “infantile” in a sentence?

Here is “infantile” used in a sentence: “The doctor checked for signs of infantile illness.”

What part of speech is “infantile”?

“Infantile” is an adjective.

Where does the word “infantile” come from?

The word “infantile” comes from Latin. From Latin infantilis, "pertaining to an infant," from īnfāns.

How many meanings does “infantile” have?

“Infantile” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: relating to infants or early childhood.

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial