sudden infant death syndrome

noun

: death of an apparently healthy infant usually before one year of age that is of unknown cause and occurs especially during sleep

—abbreviation SIDS

called also crib death

Examples of sudden infant death syndrome in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Doctors told Stern and her husband, Daniel, that their son had died from sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS. —Adrianna Rodriguez, USA Today, 10 May 2025

Study suggests genetics may be at play in sudden infant death syndrome. —Adrianna Rodriguez, USA Today, 10 May 2025

Think coronary heart disease, stroke, lung cancer and adverse reproductive health effects in women, as well as sudden infant death syndrome, respiratory infections, ear infections and asthma attacks in children. —Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 26 Apr. 2025

The team conducted tentpole research on the unexpected infant deaths previously known as SIDS, or sudden infant death syndrome. —Emily Baker-White, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1969, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sudden infant death syndrome

• acrosome
• aerodrome
• catacomb
• centrosome
• chromosome
• cytochrome
• hippodrome
• honeycomb
• liposome
• meerschaum
• metronome
• microtome

Medical Definition

sudden infant death syndrome

noun

: death of an apparently healthy infant usually before one year of age that is of unknown cause and occurs especially during sleep

—abbreviation SIDS

called also cot death, crib death