What does "infant" mean?
A very young human being, from birth to somewhere between six months and two years of age after birth, needing almost constant care and attention.
Infant
/ˈɪn.fənt/ adj, noun, verb
adj, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A very young human being, from birth to somewhere between six months and two years of age after birth, needing almost constant care and attention.
- Grammar: infant is listed as adj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: baby, abecedarian, aboriginal, adolescent.
- Useful contrasts: adult, advanced, developed.
- Usage evidence: The infant has been exposed to radioactive rays.
How to use "infant"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "infant" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "infant" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "infant" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "infant" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "infant" is acting as adj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "baby" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "infant", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A very young human being, from birth to somewhere between six months and two years of age after birth, needing almost constant care and attention.
- 2 a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk wordnet
- 3 A minor.
"Thomas Humphrey Doleman died the 30th of August 1712, an infant, intestate and without issue; Lewis the next nephew died the 17th of April 1716, an infant about sixteen years old, having left his mother Mary Webb, ..."
- 4 A student in an infant school or the first part of a primary school. Commonwealth, Ireland, UK, countable
- 5 A noble or aristocratic youth. obsolete
"Retourned home, the royall Infant fell / Into her former fitt [...]."
Verb
- 1 To bear or bring forth (a child); to produce, in general. obsolete
"This worthy motto, "No bishop, no king," is […] infanted out of the same fears."
Adjective
- 1 Of or pertaining to the earlier half of primary school education. Commonwealth, Ireland, UK, not-comparable
"Primary schooling in Ireland comprises two Infant years, which are equivalent to pre-school in other countries , and six grades or classes."
- 2 small, being near its source. figuratively, not-comparable
"Leaving Nantyglo, a small station at an altitude of 1,030 ft. with the platform on the eastern side, the train runs northwards over former G.W.R. metals, with the infant River Ebbw, a little more than a yard wide, on the west."
Example
"The infant has been exposed to radioactive rays."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "infant"?
Common synonyms include: baby, abecedarian, aboriginal, adolescent, angel, antenatal.
How do you use "infant" in a sentence?
The infant has been exposed to radioactive rays.
How do you pronounce "infant"?
Pronounced /ˈɪn.fənt/.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English infaunt, borrowed from Latin īnfantem, accusative masculine singular of īnfāns, nominal use of the adjective meaning 'not able to speak', from īn- (“not”) + fāns, present participle of for (“to speak”). The verb is from Anglo-Norman enfanter, from the same Latin source. Doublet of infante.