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Webster 1913 Edition


Infancy

In′fan-cy

,
Noun.
[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)
The state or condition of one under age, or under the age of twenty-one years; nonage; minority.

Webster 1828 Edition


Infancy

IN'FANCY

,
Noun.
[L. infantia. See Infant.]
1.
The first part of life, beginning at the birth. In common usage, infancy extends not beyond the first year or two of life, but there is not a defined limit where infancy ends, and childhood begins.
2.
In law, infancy extends to the age of twenty one years.
3.
The first age of any thing; the beginning or early period of existence; as the infancy of the Roman republic; the infancy of a college or of a charitable society; the infancy of agriculture, of manufactures, or of commerce.

Definition 2024


infancy

infancy

English

Noun

infancy (plural infancies)

  1. The earliest period of childhood (crawling rather than walking).
  2. The state of being an infant.
  3. An early stage in the development of, eg, some technology.
    Space tourism is still in its infancy.
  4. (law) The state of being a minor.

Translations