INFANCY

infancy, babyhood

(noun) the earliest state of immaturity

infancy, babyhood, early childhood

(noun) the early stage of growth or development

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Noun

infancy (countable and uncountable, plural infancies)

The earliest period of childhood (crawling rather than walking).

The state of being an infant.

(figurative) An early stage in the development of anything.

(law) The state of being a minor.

Synonyms

(earliest period of childhood)

• infanthood

• babyhood

(state of being an infant)

• babyship

(state of being a minor)

• infanthood

Source: Wiktionary

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In"fan*cy, n. Etym: [L. infantia: cf. F. enfance. See Infant.]

1. The state or period of being an infant; the first part of life; early childhood. The babe yet lies in smiling infancy. Milton. Their love in early infancy began. Dryden.

2. The first age of anything; the beginning or early period of existence; as, the infancy of an art. The infancy and the grandeur of Rome. Arbuthnot.

3. (Law)

Definition: The state or condition of one under age, or under the age of twenty-one years; nonage; minority.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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