infancy

in·fan·cy | \ ˈin-fən(t)-sē

How to pronounce infancy (audio)

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plural infancies

Definition of infancy

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 The deciduous broad-leaved forests that now cover 11 percent of North America north of Mexico were in their infancy. — Andrew L. Hipp, Scientific American, "How Oak Trees Evolved to Rule the Forests of the Northern Hemisphere," 15 July 2020 As cases of the coronavirus spike in Southern and Western states, economists worry the recovery—which already has a long way to go—could get derailed in its infancy. — Lance Lambert, Fortune, "More stimulus checks? 156 economists urge Congress to pass a bill with ‘automatic triggers’ for more checks," 9 July 2020 The issue was so contentious and ingrained in colonial society that many founders thought abolishing slavery would kill the young nation in its infancy, Ellis wrote. — John Blake, CNN, "Our country is in chaos. But it's a great time to be an American," 4 July 2020 In its infancy, cinema often turned to history for inspiration. — 1843, "How Charlie Chaplin put the little guy on the big screen," 2 July 2020 Apple TV+ is still in its infancy, but has had no smash hits yet. — Mark Gurman, Bloomberg.com, "Apple Cancels Some Arcade Games in Strategy Shift To Keep Subscribers," 1 July 2020 This time, PizzaGate is being fueled by a younger generation that is active on TikTok, which was in its infancy four years ago, as well as on other social media platforms. — Sheera Frenkel, BostonGlobe.com, "‘PizzaGate’ conspiracy theory thrives anew in the TikTok era," 27 June 2020 Oakes said the investigation was in infancy stage and that the area is closed off. — NBC News, "Shooting at Bunn-O-Matic warehouse in Springfield, Illinois; suspect sought," 26 June 2020 Friendswood Grocery is in its infancy of operation. — Robert Avery Staff Writer, Houston Chronicle, "Miniparades to take to streets in Friendswood on Fourth," 26 June 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'infancy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near infancy

infamous crime against nature

Statistics for infancy

Last Updated

25 Jul 2020

Cite this Entry

“Infancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infancy. Accessed 8 Aug. 2020.

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More Definitions for infancy

infancy

noun

English Language Learners Definition of infancy

: the first part of a child's life : the time in your life when you are a baby

: a beginning : an early stage of development

See the full definition for infancy in the English Language Learners Dictionary

infancy

in·fan·cy | \ ˈin-fən-sē

\

plural infancies

Kids Definition of infancy

1 : the first stage of a child's life : early childhood

2 : a beginning or early period of existence The program is in its infancy.

infancy

in·fan·cy | \ ˈin-fən-sē

\

plural infancies

Medical Definition of infancy

1 : early childhood

2 : the legal status of an infant

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infancy

in·fan·cy | \ ˈin-fən-sē

\

plural infancies

Legal Definition of infancy

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

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