postmature infant
- noun
- /ˌpoʊstˈmætʃər ˈɪnfənt/
- Specialized
:
infante postmaduro
- A postmature infant can sometimes have dry, peeling skin as a result of their extended time in the womb.
Examples
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The doctor explained that a postmature infant might require special monitoring due to prolonged gestation.
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Research suggests that postmature infants may need different care compared to those born at term.
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The postmature infant was stable.
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Many postmature infants require special care.
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A postmature infant can sometimes have dry, peeling skin as a result of their extended time in the womb.
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Research suggests that postmature infants may need different care compared to those born at term.
-
The doctor explained that a postmature infant might require special monitoring due to prolonged gestation.
Antonyms
How Late
Surface Forms
Morphology
postmature + infant
The noun phrase is compositionally built from post- (after) + mature + infant, so a learner who knows the constituents would reasonably infer it refers to a baby born after the normal/expected term. However, the precise clinical sense (the 42-week threshold and implications like placental insufficiency) is specialized medical knowledge not predictable from the words alone, so it is only partially transparent to a B1 learner.
Etymology
Postmature infant comes from the parts post meaning 'after' and mature meaning 'fully grown', so picture a baby who stayed in the womb longer than usual. That's why it refers to a baby born 'after' the normal time, often after 42 weeks, who may show signs of being in the womb too long and need extra care.