infancy

noun

in·​fan·​cy ˈin-fən(t)-sē 

plural infancies

1

: early childhood

2

: a beginning or early period of existence

3

: the legal status of an infant

Examples of infancy in a Sentence

She was often sick during her infancy.

a skill developed in infancy

She has been a member of the church since its infancy.

Recent Examples on the Web

Some existing amenities, like the regulation tennis court, will be retained—and a trendy padel court is being considered—but the project is still in its infancy. — Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 5 Aug. 2026

That was during a corporate mainframe computing boom, while AI was still in its infancy. — Humayun Chaudhry, STAT, 3 Aug. 2026

Small added that the infancy of AI could lead new infrastructure that might share the fruits of the entertainment industry more equitably than in the past. — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 3 Aug. 2026

At one point, agents lost track of their car, after the Comeys turned off the highway to visit the gravesite of their son, who had died in infancy three decades earlier. — Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 31 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing infancy

• in one's infancy

Kids Definition

infancy

noun

in·​fan·​cy ˈin-fən-sē 

plural infancies

1

: early childhood

2

: a beginning or early period of existence

Medical Definition

infancy

noun

in·​fan·​cy ˈin-fən-sē 

plural infancies

1

: early childhood

2

: the legal status of an infant

Legal Definition

infancy

noun

in·​fan·​cy ˈin-fən-sē 

plural infancies

1

: the legal status of an infant : minority

2

: the affirmative defense of lacking legal capacity (as to make a contract or commit a crime) because of being too young and especially because one's age is below an age set by statute