INFANCY


Meaning of INFANCY in English

in ‧ fan ‧ cy /ˈɪnfənsi/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]

1 . the period of a child’s life before they can walk or talk

in infancy

In the past, many children died in infancy.

2 . the time when something is just starting to be developed:

the infancy of radio broadcasting

Genetic engineering is still in its infancy.

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THESAURUS

■ when you are young

▪ childhood the time when you are a child, especially a young child:

I had a wonderful childhood in the country.

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childhood illnesses

▪ girlhood/boyhood the time when you are a young girl or boy:

The two men had been friends in boyhood.

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the transition from girlhood to womanhood

▪ youth the time when you are young, especially between about 15 and 25 when you are no longer a child:

He was a great sportsman in his youth.

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She revisited all the places where she had spent her youth.

▪ adolescence the time when you are changing from being a child into an adult – used especially when you are talking about the problems people have at this age:

During adolescence, boys are often lacking in self-confidence.

▪ infancy formal the time when you are a baby:

In the past, many more babies died in infancy.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.      Longman - Словарь современного английского языка.