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Baby vs Infancy - What's the difference?

baby | infancy |

As nouns the difference between baby and infancy

is that baby is baby (infant) while infancy is the earliest period of childhood (crawling rather than walking).

baby

English

Noun

(babies)
  • A very young human, particularly from birth to a couple of years old or until walking is fully mastered.
  • Any very young animal, especially a vertebrate; many species have specific names for their babies, such as kittens for the babies of cats, puppies]] for the babies of dogs, and chicks for the babies of birds. See [[:Category:Baby animals for more.
  • Unborn young; a fetus.
  • When is your baby due?
  • A person who is immature or infantile.
  • Stand up for yourself - don't be such a baby !
  • A term of endearment for a girlfriend or boyfriend or spouse.
  • (informal) A form of address to a man or a woman considered to be attractive.
  • Hey baby , what are you doing later?
  • A pet project or responsibility.
  • The annual report has been my baby since September.
  • The lastborn of a family.
  • See my new car here? I can't wait to take this baby for a drive.
  • (archaic) A small image of an infant; a doll.
  • Synonyms

    * (young human being) babe, babby, babbie, infant * (immature or infantile person) big baby * (term of endearment) love

    See also

    * gamete, zygote, morula, blastocyst, embryo, fetus

    Adjective

    (-) (used only before the noun)
  • Of a child: very young; of the age when he or she would be termed a baby or infant.
  • a baby boy
  • Of an animal: young.
  • a baby elephant
  • Intended for babies.
  • baby clothes
  • Picked when small and immature (as in baby corn'', ''baby potatoes ).
  • Usage notes

    When referring to a human baby (as per noun sense 1 above) the usual practice is to treat 'human' as the adjective and 'baby' as the noun.

    Synonyms

    * (sense) little * (intended for babies) baby's

    Verb

  • To coddle; to pamper somebody like an infant.
  • Derived terms

    * anchor baby * baby-batterer * baby-battering * baby beef * Baby Bell * baby bond * baby bonus * baby boom * baby boomer * baby-bouncer * baby boy * baby buggy * babycare * baby carriage * baby doll * baby-doll pajamas, baby doll pyjamas * baby face * baby food * baby girl * baby grand * babygro * babyhood * baby house * babyish * baby-jumper * baby-minder * baby monitor * baby of the family * baby's breath * baby seat * babysit, baby-sit * babysitter, baby-sitter * babysitting * baby-sitting * baby-snatcher * baby-snatching * baby's tears * baby talk * baby tooth * baby-walker * be left holding the baby * big baby * crybaby * cry like a baby * passport baby * throw out the baby with the bathwater, throw the baby out with the bathwater * sleep like a baby (baby)

    See also

    * child * infant * toddler

    infancy

    English

    Noun

    (infancies)
  • The earliest period of childhood (crawling rather than walking).
  • The state of being an infant.
  • An early stage in the development of, eg, some technology.
  • (label) The state of being a minor.