/ ˈɪnfənt; NAmE / 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) .
HELP NOTE : In NAmE 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 [ only before noun ]
1.
designed to be used by infants :
infant formula (= milk for babies)
2.
new and not yet developed :
infant industries
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Old French enfant , from Latin infant- unable to speak, from in- not + fant- speaking (from the verb fari ).