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infant
9 dictionary results for: infant
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
in·fant       [in-fuhnt] Pronunciation Key
–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]

in·fant·hood, noun
in·fant·like, adjective
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
in·fant       (ĭn'fənt)  Pronunciation Key 
n.  
  1. A child in the earliest period of life, especially before he or she can walk.
  2. Law A person under the legal age of majority; a minor.

adj.  
  1. Of or being in infancy.
  2. Intended for infants or young children.
  3. Newly begun or formed: an infant enterprise.


[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.]

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
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.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
infant

noun
a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk; "the baby began to cry again"; "she held the baby in her arms"; "it sounds simple, but when you have your own baby it is all so different" [syn: baby

American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

infant in·fant (ĭn'fənt)
n.
A child in the earliest period of life, especially before he or she can walk.

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: in·fant
Pronunciation: 'in-f&nt
Function: noun
: a person who is not of the age of majority : MINOR —compare ADULT

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

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.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

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.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

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.

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