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infant - 9 dictionary results
in⋅fant
[in-fuh
nt] 
–noun
| 1. | a child during the earliest period of its life, esp. before he or she can walk; baby. |
| 2. | Law. a person who is not of full age, esp. 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
| 5. | of or pertaining to infants or infancy: infant years. |
| 6. | being in infancy: an infant king. |
| 7. | being in the earliest stage: an infant industry. |
| 8. | of or pertaining to the legal state of infancy; minor. |
Origin:
1350–1400; < L infant- (s. of infāns) small child, lit., one unable to speak, equiv. to in- in- 3 + -fāns, prp. of fārī to speak; r. ME enfaunt < AF < L, as above
1350–1400; < L infant- (s. of infāns) small child, lit., one unable to speak, equiv. to in- in- 3 + -fāns, prp. of fārī to speak; r. ME enfaunt < AF < L, as above
Related forms:
in⋅fant⋅hood, noun
in⋅fant⋅like, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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|
Link To infant
| in·fant (ĭn'fənt) n.
[Middle English, from Old French enfant, from Latin īnfāns, īnfant-, from īnfāns, not able to speak, young : in-, not; see in-1 + fāns, present participle of fārī, to speak; see bhā-2 in Indo-European roots.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Infant
In"fant\, n. [L. infans; pref. in- not + fari to speak: cf. F. enfant, whence OE. enfaunt. See Fame, and cf. Infante, Infanta.]1. A child in the first period of life, beginning at his birth; a young babe; sometimes, a child several years of age. And tender cries of infants pierce the ear. --C. Pitt. 2. (Law) A person who is not of full age, or who has not attained the age of legal capacity; a person under the age of twenty-one years; a minor. Note: An infant under seven years of age is not penally responsible; between seven and fourteen years of age, he may be convicted of a malicious offense if malice be proved. He becomes of age on the day preceding his twenty-first birthday, previous to which time an infant has no capacity to contract. 3. Same as Infante. [Obs.] --Spenser.Infant
In"fant\, a. 1. Of or pertaining to infancy, or the first period of life; tender; not mature; as, infant strength. 2. Intended for young children; as, an infant school.Infant
In"fant\, v. t. [Cf. F. enfanter.] To bear or bring forth, as a child; hence, to produce, in general. [Obs.] This worthy motto, "No bishop, no king," is . . . infanted out of the same fears. --Milton.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : infant
Spanish:
bebé, párvulo,
German:
der Säugling,
Japanese:
幼児
infant
1376, "child during earliest period of life" (sometimes extended to age 7), from L. infantem (nom. infans) "young child, babe in arms," noun use of adj. meaning "not able to speak," from in- "not" + fans, prp. of fari "speak" (see fame). Infanticide first attested 1656. Infanta "daughter of a king of Spain or Portugal" (1601) is from the Sp. and Port. form of the word. Infantile is 1696, "of or pertaining to infants;" sense of "infant-like" is from 1772.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Main Entry: in·fant
Pronunciation: 'in-f&nt
Function: noun
1 a : a child in the first year of life :
2 : a person who is not of full age :
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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infant in·fant (ĭn'fənt)
n.
A child in the earliest period of life, especially before he or she can walk.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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