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Webster 1913 Edition


Infant

In′fant

,
Noun.
[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.
☞ 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.

In′fant

,
Adj.
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
.

In′fant

,
Verb.
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.

Webster 1828 Edition


Infant

IN'FANT

,
Noun.
[L. infans; in and fans, speaking, fari, to speak.]
1.
A child in the first period of life, beginning at his birth; a young babe. In common usage, a child ceases to be called an infant within the first or second year, but at no definite period. In some cases, authors indulge a greater latitude, and extend the term to include children of several years of age.
2.
In law, a person under the age of twenty one years, who is incapable of making valid contracts.

IN'FANT

,
Adj.
Pertaining to infancy or the first period of life.
1.
Young; tender; not mature; as infant strength.

Definition 2024


Infant

Infant

See also: infant

German

Noun

Infant m (genitive Infanten, plural Infanten, feminine Infantin)

  1. infante

Declension

infant

infant

See also: Infant

English

Alternative forms

Noun

infant (plural infants)

  1. A very young human being, from birth to somewhere between six months and two years of age, needing almost constant care and/or attention.
  2. (law) A minor.
  3. (obsolete) A noble or aristocratic youth.
    • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, III.2:
      Retourned home, the royall Infant fell / Into her former fitt [...].

Related terms

Derived terms

Translations

See also

Verb

infant (third-person singular simple present infants, present participle infanting, simple past and past participle infanted)

  1. (obsolete) To bear or bring forth (a child); to produce, in general.
    • Milton
      This worthy motto, "No bishop, no king," is [] infanted out of the same fears.

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowing from Latin īnfāns, īnfāntem.

Noun

infant m (plural infants)

  1. infant, child
  2. infante

Related terms


Slovak

Etymology

From Spanish infante and Portuguese infante.

Noun

infant m (genitive singular infanta, nominative plural infanti, declension pattern of chlap)

  1. prince, infante (son of a king in Spain and, historically, in Portugal)

Declension

Derived terms

References

  • infant in Slovak dictionaries at korpus.sk