infantile

I1N1F4A1N1T1I1L1E1
/ˈɪnfəntaɪl/

adjective

Pertaining to infants.

“infantile paralysis”

Less commonScrabble 12Word of the Day · Mar 8, 2024

Meanings

adjectiveinfantile (comparative more infantile, superlative most infantile)

comparative more infantile · superlative most infantile

  1. Pertaining to infants.

    infantile paralysis

    2 more examples

    They and the old North London tanks at Richmond long ago were the first engines on which my infantile eyes rested, be it said with an admiration that the years have never dimmed.

    1957 February 28, Henry Maxwell, “A Sentimental Journey”, in Railway Magazine, page 82

    Eustace gaped at him in amazement. When his urbanity dropped away from him, as now, he had an innocence of expression which was almost infantile. It was as if the world had never touched him at all.

    1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 9, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC

Synonyms & antonyms

More synonyms by meaning

adjectiveindicating a lack of maturity

adjectivebeing or befitting or characteristic of an infant

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latininfantilis“pertaining to an infant”
  2. Englishinfantile

Mid-15th century, "pertaining to infants," from Latin infantilis (“pertaining to an infant”), equivalent to infant + -ile, from īnfāns. Sense of "infant-like" is from 1772.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian детски, детински
  • детски (detski)pertaining to infants
  • детински (detinski)childish; immature
  • инфантилен (infantilen)childish; immature
Catalan infantil, infantil
  • infantilpertaining to infants
  • infantilchildish; immature
Czech infantilní, dětinský
  • infantilníchildish; immature
  • dětinskýchildish; immature
Dutch infantiel, kinderlijk
  • infantielchildish; immature
  • kinderlijkchildish; immature
  • kinderachtigchildish; immature
French infantile, infantile
  • infantilepertaining to infants
  • infantilechildish; immature
German infantil, kindisch
  • infantilpertaining to infants
  • kindischpertaining to infants
  • albernpertaining to infants
Hebrew ילדותי, ילדותי
  • ילדותי (yalduti)pertaining to infants
  • ילדותי (yalduti)childish; immature
  • אינפנטילי (infantili)childish; immature
Hungarian infantilis
  • infantilischildish; immature
Italian infantile, infantile
  • infantilepertaining to infants
  • infantilechildish; immature
  • puerilechildish; immature
Polish dziecięcy, infantylny
  • dziecięcypertaining to infants
  • infantylnychildish; immature
  • dziecinnychildish; immature
Slovak infantilný, detinský
  • infantilnýchildish; immature
  • detinskýchildish; immature
Spanish infantil, pueril
  • infantilpertaining to infants
  • puerilpertaining to infants
  • infantilchildish; immature
  • puerilchildish; immature
  • aniñadochildish; immature
Swedish infantil, infantil
  • infantilpertaining to infants
  • infantilchildish; immature
Turkish çocuksal, çocukça
  • çocuksalpertaining to infants
  • çocukçachildish; immature
  • çocuksuchildish; immature
Ukrainian інфанти́льний
  • інфанти́льний (infantýlʹnyj)childish; immature
Cite this entry
APA

infantile. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/infantile

MLA

“infantile.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/infantile. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “infantile,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/infantile.

Source: infantile on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.