infant

B2 Topic:People & Society

Also spelled hinfant

US /ˈɪn.fənt/ See IPA manual

Freq #8910

Meanings

1

noun
A very young child or baby.

The infant slept peacefully in her mother's arms.
2

adj
In a very early stage of development.

The company is still in its infant years.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a very young child or baby. baby

Word family

Forms infants

Derived forms infantcareinfanthoodinfantizeinfantlikeinfantlyinfantocracyinfantometerinfantophileinfantophiliainfantophobeinfantophobiainfantorium

Related forms infancyinfantainfanteinfanteerinfanticideinfantierinfantile infantry

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

abandoned infant
a baby left without the care of its parents or guardians

Adjective + noun

Simplified etymology

Infant came through French enfant from Latin elements meaning “not speaking”: in-, “not,” and fari, “to speak.” Its legal use for someone below the age of majority reflects the idea of a person unable to speak for themselves in law. The related Italian infante also meant “foot soldier,” leading through infanteria to English infantry in the late 16th century.

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.

*bʰeh₂- Proto-Indo-European infaunt Middle English enfanter xno

View etymology graph ->

Topics

People & Society

External links

# infant

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun, adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈɪn.fənt/
**Frequency rank:** 8910

## Meanings
1. A very young child or baby.
2. In a very early stage of development.

## Examples
- The infant slept peacefully in her mother's arms.
- The company is still in its infant years.

## Derived Forms
- infantcare
- infanthood
- infantize
- infantlike
- infantly
- infantocracy
- infantometer
- infantophile
- infantophilia
- infantophobe
- infantophobia
- infantorium

## Related Forms
- infancy
- infanta
- infante
- infanteer
- infanticide
- infantier
- infantile
- infantry

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *bʰeh₂-
- Root: infaunt
- Root: enfanter

## 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.

## AI Etymology
Infant is 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. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern nominal form is built from the named base and affix. The historical line also includes *bʰeh₂-.

## Topics
- People & Society

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