1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

babyhood

noun

Definition of babyhoodnext
as in infancy

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of babyhood His arms, still rounded with the softness of babyhood, were raised; his hands behind his head. — Sahana Jayaraman, AZCentral.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for babyhood
  1. infancy
  2. adolescence
Noun
  • Finding this specific signature inside organic matter proves that these molecules acquired their oxygen during the Solar System’s absolute infancy.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Two other daughters, one born in 1797 and another in 1799, died in infancy.
    — Andrew Lawler, The Atlantic, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of infancy
Noun
  • For teens who aren’t comfortable socially, adolescence is likely to be an especially rough time.
    — Sarah Vanbuskirk, Parents, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The smart kids, the shy ones, the jokers and the loners — every one of them is caught in the pyroclastic flow of adolescence, every minute a negotiation between fitting in and standing out.
    — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of adolescence

Browse Nearby Words

baby carriages
babyhood
babyhoods
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Babyhood.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/babyhood. Accessed 24 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of pundit

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 25
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
crayons-in-a-circle
Guess the Color Quiz Questions that use the whole box of crayons.
See All