What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
infant
Example
The infant was sleeping soundly in her crib. [infant: noun]
Example
The parents were busy taking care of their newborn infant. [infant: adjective]
neonate
Example
The neonate was placed in an incubator to regulate his body temperature. [neonate: noun]
Example
The doctor checked the neonate's vital signs to ensure he was healthy. [neonate: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Infant is more commonly used than neonate in everyday language, while neonate is more commonly used in medical contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between infant and neonate?
Neonate is a more formal and technical term than infant, which is more commonly used in informal contexts.
