infant

Meanings

Noun

• A very young human being, from birth to somewhere between six months and two years of age, needing almost constant care and/or attention.
• A minor.
• A noble or aristocratic youth.

Verb

• To bear or bring forth (a child); to produce, in general.

Origin

• 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- + fāns, present participle of for. The verb is from Anglo-Norman enfanter, from the same Latin source. infante.