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

Scrolling and zooming in can take users some 13.5 billion years back in time when the universe was in its infancy and stars, galaxies and black holes were still forming. —Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 13 June 2025

Both of Miller’s previous performances in Graczyk’s play were with San Jose Stage Company, first in 1986 when the company was in its infancy and housed in an old auto body shop just steps from its longtime present home. —David John Chávez, Mercury News, 13 June 2025

Five Strategic Shifts In Influencer Marketing When our company was founded in 2014, the landscape was different—social media was still finding its place in brand strategies, and influencer marketing was in its infancy. —Sam Foroozesh, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025

Virtually every living American, save those blind from infancy, has seen images of Paris. —Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 5 June 2025

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