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

The first premature infants to receive IV nutrition planned by artificial intelligence are in Stanford’s neonatal intensive care unit. — Terdawn Deboe, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

Discharge day in the neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU, should feel like a finish line. — Tim Nelin, The Conversation, 21 July 2026

Bordenave-Jenkins, who was studying to be a neonatal nurse at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, died at the scene, prosecutors say. — Jasmine Mendez follow, Los Angeles Times, 18 July 2026

Named after her neurosurgeon, Marcus weighed 3 pounds, 12 ounces and spent time in the neonatal intensive care unit. — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 18 July 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