infanticide

noun

in·​fan·​ti·​cide in-ˈfan-tə-ˌsīd 

1

: the killing of an infant

2

[Late Latin infanticida, from Latin infant-, infans + -i- + -cida -cide] : one who kills an infant

infanticidal

in-ˌfan-tə-ˈsī-dᵊl 

adjective

Examples of infanticide in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Chimpanzee mothers often remove themselves from the group to give birth, which protects their babies from the infanticides that are sadly frequent in this species. —Susana Monsó, TIME, 18 Oct. 2024

Lower level courts have argued that the law in question applies only to infanticide and not consensual abortions. —Eva Epker, Forbes, 5 Oct. 2024

Only the chance discovery of the newborn by a milkman saved him from the infanticide that befell other such unwanted babies. —Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Aug. 2024

In more than half of the nests, infanticide didn’t occur when a female took a new mate. —Byvirginia Morell, science.org, 6 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin infanticidium, from Latin infant-, infans + -i- + -cidium -cide

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Medical Definition

infanticide

noun

in·​fan·​ti·​cide in-ˈfant-ə-ˌsīd 

1

: the killing of an infant

2

: one who kills an infant

infanticidal

-ˌfant-ə-ˈsīd-ᵊl 

adjective

Legal Definition

infanticide

noun

in·​fan·​ti·​cide in-ˈfan-tə-ˌsīd 

: the killing of a newly or recently born child