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

Tallahassee Memorial Hospital had specialists on staff and a neonatal intensive care unit equipped to serve critically ill babies. —CNN Money, 16 Mar. 2026

Since then, the hospital temporarily lost its Level II trauma center status, and discontinued obstetrical and neonatal services in October amid other setbacks. —Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026

Researchers found that children born to mothers who experienced depression, anxiety, or a history of psychiatric problems had wider neonatal lines. —Sarah Lindenfeld Hall, Popular Science, 11 Mar. 2026

Early research has shown promising outcomes, including a drastic drop in evictions and fewer preterm births and neonatal intensive care unit admissions. —Nushrat Rahman, Freep.com, 2 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

New Latin neonatus neonate + -al entry 1

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for neonatal

• hiatal
• nonfatal
• postnatal
• prenatal
• antenatal
• 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