Infancy: meaning, definitions and examples

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infancy

 

[ ˈɪnfənsi ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

early life stage

Infancy refers to the early stage of a person's life, typically from birth to around two years old. During infancy, individuals are highly dependent on others for their care and survival. This stage is characterized by rapid growth and development, both physically and cognitively.

Synonyms

babyhood, early childhood

Examples of usage

  • During infancy, babies rely on their caregivers for feeding and comfort.
  • Infancy is a critical period for brain development.
  • Infants begin to babble and make sounds during the early months of infancy.

Translations

Translations of the word "infancy" in other languages:

🇵🇹 infância

🇮🇳 शैशवावस्था

🇩🇪 Kindheit

🇮🇩 masa bayi

🇺🇦 дитинство

🇵🇱 niemowlęctwo

🇯🇵 幼児期 (ようじき)

🇫🇷 petite enfance

🇪🇸 infancia

🇹🇷 bebeklik

🇰🇷 유아기 (yua-gi)

🇸🇦 الطفولة المبكرة

🇨🇿 rané dětství

🇸🇰 rané detstvo

🇨🇳 婴儿期 (yīng'ér qī)

🇸🇮 zgodnje otroštvo

🇮🇸 frumbernska

🇰🇿 нәрестелік кезең

🇬🇪 დაბადების პერიოდი

🇦🇿 körpəlik

🇲🇽 infancia

Word origin

The word 'infancy' originated from the Latin word 'infantia', which means 'inability to speak'. This term was used in the late Middle English period to describe the early stage of a person's life. Over time, 'infancy' came to be associated with the period of early childhood characterized by dependency and rapid growth.

See also: infantile.

Word Frequency Rank

At #7,477 in frequency, this word belongs to advanced vocabulary. It's less common than core vocabulary but important for sophisticated expression.