infanticide

noun

in·​fan·​ti·​cide in-ˈfan-tə-ˌsīd How to pronounce infanticide (audio)
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 How to pronounce infanticide (audio)
adjective

Examples of infanticide in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In years of abundance, there were surges in births; in years of famine, infanticides. — Ben Taub, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025 Fatal fires, mass shootings, serial killings, decapitation, infanticide, bus crashes, wrong-way accidents and — more than once — children murdered by dogs. — Henrick Karoliszyn, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Oct. 2025 In 2021, the violence escalated to infanticide, with 14 Central infants stolen and killed. — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Apr. 2026 Based on a true story that sparked an international movement, the film follows Julieta, a young woman falsely accused of infanticide, and Soledad Deza, the lawyer who takes on her explosive case. — Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 5 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for infanticide

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of infanticide was in 1611

Rhymes for infanticide

See All Rhymes for infanticide

Browse Nearby Words

infanticidal
infanticide
infantile
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Infanticide.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infanticide. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Medical Definition

infanticide

noun
in·​fan·​ti·​cide in-ˈfant-ə-ˌsīd How to pronounce infanticide (audio)
1
: the killing of an infant
2
: one who kills an infant
infanticidal
-ˌfant-ə-ˈsīd-ᵊl How to pronounce infanticide (audio)
adjective

Legal Definition

infanticide

noun
in·​fan·​ti·​cide in-ˈfan-tə-ˌsīd How to pronounce infanticide (audio)
: the killing of a newly or recently born child

More from Merriam-Webster on infanticide

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about infanticide

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