🧒 Childish behavior 🧬 Childlike condition 🍼 Adult baby fetish

infantilism

9.9

A condition where a person keeps baby body or mind features past the usual age

noun
/ˌɪn.fænˈtɪl.ɪ.zəm/

Specialized

: infantilismo

Psychologists study infantilism to understand developmental delays and emotional immaturity.

Examples

His behavior showed clear signs of infantilism.
The doctor diagnosed the patient with infantilism after observing persistent childlike behaviors.
Certain hormonal disorders can lead to physical infantilism in adults.
Many psychologists study infantilism in adults.
His constant need for attention and inability to make decisions showed a clear sign of infantilism in his behavior.
Many adults who display infantilism struggle with taking responsibility for their actions.
Psychologists noted that her infantilism caused problems in her relationships, as she often acted like a child.

Synonyms

ateleiosis

vsinfantilism

Specialized

9.9

Slow physical growth leaving the body small while intelligence stays normal

includes both physical and psychological childlike characteristics

infantile fixation

vsinfantilism

Archaic

9.9

An emotional problem where a person stops growing emotionally and acts like a child

covers both physical and psychological childlike characteristics

Antonyms

maturity

101 3.3

A state of being fully grown in body, mind, or feelings

adulthood

61 3.1

The time in life when a person is fully grown and has more responsibilities

Surface Forms

infantilism singular

infantilisms plural

Morphology

infantilism = infantile (semi-transparent) = infant + ile + ism

Morphologically clear (infantile + -ism), but the clinical/diagnostic meaning 'retention of infantile characteristics' is specialized and may not be obvious to general learners.

Etymology

Infantilism comes from the Latin infans ('baby') and the ending -ism, so it literally means 'baby-like'. It is used for a condition where a person keeps baby-like body or mind traits beyond the usual age.