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infantilize

 - 2 dictionary results

in⋅fan⋅til⋅ize

  [in-fuhn-tl-ahyz, -tahy-lahyz, in-fan-tl-ahyz]
Use infantilize in a Sentence
–verb (used with object), -ized, -iz⋅ing.
1. to keep in or reduce to an infantile state.
2. to treat or regard as infantile or immature.
Also, especially British, in⋅fan⋅til⋅ise.

Origin:
1940–45; infantile + -ize, or by back formation from infantilization

Related forms:
in⋅fan⋅til⋅i⋅za⋅tion, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To infantilize
in·fan·til·ize   (ĭn'fən-tl-īz', ĭn-fān'-)   
tr.v.   in·fan·til·ized, in·fan·til·iz·ing, in·fan·til·iz·es

  1. To reduce to an infantile state or condition: "It creates a crisis that infantilizes them—causes grown men to squabble like kids about trivial things" (New Yorker).

  2. To treat or condescend to as if still a young child: "The Victorian physician infantilized his patient" (Judith Moore).

in·fan'til·i·za'tion (-ĭ-zā'shən) n.
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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