infant English · revision 10628

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1376|origins=fro enfant|origins=la infans}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈɪn.fənt/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fro|enfant]], early made more like the Latin,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) or directly from Latin [[m|la|īnfāns|t=young child, babe in arms]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) the noun use of an adjective meaning “not able to speak”,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) from in-, not, and fāns, present participle of fārī, to speak (see [[fame]] and [[ban]]).^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In law, a person under legal age, a minor: 1376 in the OED;^(OED 1989) a baby or young child, about 1384 in the Wycliffe Bible.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The Romans extended īnfāns to older children, hence French enfant, child,^(Etymonline) and English infant also had the wider sense “child”, commonly up to the age of seven.^(Etymonline) In law it still means a minor, one who cannot yet speak for himself in law.^(OED 1989)^(Cresswell 2021) A beginner in some field is from 1526, and a thing in its earliest stage from about 1586.^(OED 1989) The adjective is from about 1586.^(Barnhart 1988) Through Italian infante, a youth and a foot soldier, the same word gave [[infantry]].^(Cresswell 2021)^(Hoad 1986) ''Infancy'' is from before 1398,^(Barnhart 1988) and ''infantile'' from 1443.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1376 – a minor (law).^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1384 – a baby.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1398 – infancy.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1526 – a beginner.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1586 – infant (adjective).^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[child]] in the earliest stage of life; a [[baby]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(law)'' A person under the age of [[majority]]; a minor.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(UK)'' A young schoolchild, usually under seven.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of or for infants: ''infant formula''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Newly begun; in an early stage: ''an infant industry''.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[infanthood]]

+ * [[infantlike]]

+ * [[infant school]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[infancy]]

+ * [[infanticide]]

+ * [[infantile]]

+ * [[infantry]]

+ * [[infante]]

+ * [[infanta]]

+ * [[fable]]

+ * [[fame]]

+ * [[fate]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}