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 notesIn 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
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more infantile
- Superlative
- most infantile
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The doctor checked for signs of _____ illness.
Etymology
From Latin infantilis, "pertaining to an infant," from īnfāns.
Related words
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.
