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infant

infante

noun an-FAHN Rare

Origin: Spanish/Portuguese 'infante', from Latin 'infans' (child)

Also means

prince

Usage Note

Infant in French refers specifically to a royal prince (or princess, infante) of Spain or Portugal, not a baby — that is nourrisson or bébé. The word is a direct borrowing from Iberian royal titles. Learners familiar with English 'infant' (baby) should note this is a partial false friend in French, where the royal meaning is primary for this spelling.

Examples

"L'infant hérita du titre à la mort du roi."

Natural Translation

The infante inherited the title upon the king's death.

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