I.gen. plur. infantium, but infantum, Plin. Ep. 9, 20, 14), adj. in-for, that cannot speak, without speech, mute, speechless (class.): “seu rubra Canicula findet Infantes statuas,” Hor. S. 2, 5, 40: “filius Croesi,” Gell. 5, 9, 1: “scribit Herodotus, Croesi filium, cum infans esset, locutum,” Cic. Div. 1, 53, 121.—
II. Transf., not capable of speech, not eloquent: “infantes et insipientes homines,” Cic. Inv. 1, 3, 4.— Comp.: infantior, quam meus est mulio, Varr. ap. Non. 56, 11: “omnino nihil accusatore Lentulo subscriptoribusque ejus infantius,” Cic. Q. Fr. 3, 4 init. — Sup.: “ut timerem, si nihil dixissem, ne infantissimus existimarer,” incapable of speaking, Cic. Clu. 18, 51; cf.: “historia neque nimis infans, neque perfecte diserta,” id. Brut. 26, 101.—
B. Not yet able to speak, young, little, infant: “infantes pueri,” Cic. de Or. 2, 39, 162; cf. Varr. L. L. 6, § 64 Müll.: “infantium puerorum incunabula,” Cic. Rosc. Am. 53, 153: “pupilla,” Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 58, § 153: “filius,” id. Clu. 9, 27: “filia,” Suet. Ner. 35.— “Of the young of the brute creation: pulli,” Plin. 10, 33, 49, § 92: “catuli,” id. 29, 5, 32, § 100.— Of a plant, little: “boletus,” Plin. 22, 22, 46, § 93: “ova,” fresh, Ov. M. 4, 518.—
III. Esp. as subst.: infans , fantis, com. gen.
a. In gen., a young or little child, an infant, babe: “natura movet infantem,” Cic. Fin. 2, 11, 33: “non mulieribus, non infantibus pepercerunt,” Caes. B. G. 7, 28: “parvi,” Lucr. 1, 184: “in Sabinis incertus infans natus, masculus an femina esset,” Liv. 31, 12 med.: “rusticus,” Juv. 3, 176; 9, 60: “crassus,” id. 13, 163; 14, 168: “infantem suam reportavit,” Quint. 6, 1, 39: “infantumque animae flentes,” Verg. A. 6, 427: “semestris,” Liv. 21, 62: “ab infante,” from infancy, Col. 1, 8, 2; so, “ab infantibus (of more than one),” Cels. 7, 7, 15.—
B. Of or belonging to an infant, infantine: “pectoraque absorbent avidis infantia linguis,” Ov. F. 6, 145: “infantia ossa,” id. M. 4, 517: “guttura,” id. ib. 4, 229: “tutus ut infanti vagiat ore puer,” id. F. 4, 208: “manus,” id. H. 9, 86: “umbrae,” of departed infants, id. ib. 11, 119.—
C. Childish, like a child.—Hence,
1. Silly: “illa Hortensiana omnia fuere infantia,” Cic. Att. 10, 18, 1.—
2. Speechless, not expressing itself in words: “pudor,” Hor. S. 1, 6, 57. —
IV. For infandus, unutterable, unheard of (anteclass.): facinus, Att. ap. Non. 56, 12 (Trag. Fragm. v. 189 Rib.).
