toddler

noun

tod·​dler ˈtä-dᵊl-ər How to pronounce toddler (audio)
ˈtäd-lər
plural toddlers
Synonyms of toddlernext
: a person who toddles
especially : a young child usually between one and three years old
It's no secret that kids need plenty of sleep. For a preschooler (3 to 5 years old), that's as much as 11 to 13 hours, including naps; for a toddler (1 to 3), 12 to 14 hours; for a baby under 1, 14 to 15 hours. Stacey Colino
toddlerhood noun

Examples of toddler in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Privacy law may apply to, say, a stranger who broadcasts a toddler’s febrile seizure to a potential audience of millions, but the same child generally cannot claim a legal right to privacy from his mother or father. Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2026 Taylor Frankie Paul has filed a counter temporary restraining order against ex Dakota Mortensen — both of whom have accused each other of recent domestic violence — as a judge issued a temporary custody arrangement dictating how much time she’s allotted with their toddler son. Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 7 Apr. 2026 With a guardian ad litem, it was determined that Ever will remain in Mortensen's custody, with up to 8 hours per week of supervised visitation for Paul, in the best interests of the toddler. Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 7 Apr. 2026 The parents of a toddler who suffered a minor injury at a Pennsylvania theme park zoo after squeezing through a fence near a wolf enclosure and making contact with one of the animals have been charged with endangering the welfare of children, police said. ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for toddler

Word History

First Known Use

1815, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of toddler was in 1815

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Toddler.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toddler. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

toddler

noun
tod·​dler ˈtäd-lər How to pronounce toddler (audio)
-ᵊl-ər
: a young child
toddlerhood noun

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