infant

Universal Words noun, adjective noun 1 (formal or technical) a baby or very young child: a nursery for infants under two * their infant son * She was seriously ill as an infant. * the infant mortality rate * Mozart was an infant prodigy (= a child with unusual ability). HELPNOTE In AmE infant is only used for a baby, especially a very young one. 2 (in British and Australian education) a child at school between the ages of four and seven: an infant school * infant teachers * I've known her since we were in the infants (= at infant school). adjective [onlybeforenoun] 1 designed to be used by infants: infant formula (= milk for babies) 2 new and not yet developed: infant industries