infant

(infənt)

noun

  1. a very young child; baby
  2. a person in the state of legal infancy; minor

Origin: ME infaunt < OFr enfant < L infans (gen. infantis), child < adj., not yet speaking < in-, not + fans, prp. of fari, to speak: see fame

adjective

  1. of or for infants or infancy
  2. in a very early stage

See infant in American Heritage Dictionary 4

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

Origin:

Origin: Middle English

Origin: , from Old French enfant

Origin: , from Latin īnfāns, īnfant-

Origin: , from īnfāns, not able to speak, young

Origin: : in-, not; see in-1

Origin: + fāns

Origin: , present participle of fārī, to speak; see bhā-2 in Indo-European roots

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