ENGLISH
REFERENCE

infantile

adj.
C1 Advanced US //ˈɪnfəntɪɫ// UK //ˈɪnfəntˌaɪl// in·fan·tile

adj. behaving in a way that is childish or not mature. You use this to describe someone who acts like a small child, often in a way that is annoying or silly.

adj. characterised by or suitable for an infant; lacking maturity or sophistication. Often used to describe behavior that is perceived as childish or inappropriate for an adult.


SIMPLE

His infantile behavior made it difficult for him to work with others.

CONTEXTUAL

The manager was frustrated by the infantile arguments between the two junior staff members over a minor mistake.

COMPLEX

The critic argued that the film's infantile plot was a deliberate attempt to appeal to a younger demographic, though it failed to resonate with older viewers.

Synonyms
Origin

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.

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