neonatal

adjective

neo·​na·​tal ˌnē-ō-ˈnā-tᵊl 

: of, relating to, or affecting the newborn and especially the human infant during the first month after birth

neonatal mortality

neonatal intensive care unit

neonatally

ˌnē-ō-ˈnā-tᵊl-ē 

adverb

Examples of neonatal in a Sentence

a neonatal intensive care unit

Recent Examples on the Web

Advances in childbirth — including prenatal care, Cesarean sections, blood transfusions, antibiotics and neonatal intensive care — also dramatically improved maternal and infant survival compared with colonial America. — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026

The mother was referring to neonatal intensive care units and necrotizing enterocolitis, an often fatal condition in which intestinal tissue can die and allow infection to spread through the body of an infant born prematurely. — David Hilzenrath, USA Today, 2 July 2026

While two of the four babies spent time in the neonatal intensive care unit, all four were home by May 26. — Lexi Lane, PEOPLE, 28 June 2026

For example, highly specialized acute care environments—such as labor and delivery, neonatal intensive care units or certain intensive care unit contexts—depend on tight team cohesion and institution-specific protocols that take time to build. — Curtis Anderson, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

New Latin neonatus neonate + -al entry 1

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for neonatal

• nonfatal
• postnatal
• prenatal
• antenatal
• hiatal
• perinatal
• datal
• fatal

Medical Definition

neonatal

adjective

neo·​na·​tal ˌnē-ō-ˈnāt-ᵊl 

: of, relating to, or affecting the newborn and especially the human infant during the first month after birth

neonatal jaundice

neonatal death

compare prenatal, intranatal, postnatal

neonatally

-ᵊl-ē 

adverb