What does infanticidal mean?
Infanticidal is an adjective meaning relating to infanticide, the deliberate killing of an infant. It may describe an act, conduct, motive, intention, or wider pattern of behavior that involves the death of a baby. The word is most common in legal, medical, forensic, and historical contexts, where precise terminology is important. Because it explicitly identifies the death of an infant as deliberate rather than natural or accidental, it should be used with care and sensitivity, especially when discussing real cases or victims. In general discussion, infanticidal is more appropriate than the broader phrase “child-killing,” which could include the deaths of older children and is therefore less precise. The adjective is formed from the noun infanticide, with the suffix “-al” indicating a relation to or a quality associated with infanticide. It is chiefly used in formal prose, though specialized news reports and discussions of criminal responsibility also employ it.
adjectiveRelating to infanticide or involving the killing of an infant. The term is chiefly used in legal, medical, and historical discussion.
- Relating to or involving the deliberate killing of an infant.
"The inquiry examined evidence that the deaths might have been infanticidal rather than accidental."
"The report identified the case as an instance of infanticidal violence."
"The statute introduced separate penalties for infanticidal conduct."
The striking word infanticidal names not the act itself but the nature of an act or intention involving the killing of an infant.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does infanticidal come from?
Infanticidal was formed in English by adding the suffix “-al” to infanticide. Infanticide comes from Latin infanticidium, a compound based on infans, meaning an infant, together with the suffix “-cidium,” associated with killing. The English words infant and infancy also derive from the same Latin word through Old French and therefore share its historical root.
Related word forms
How infanticidal is actually used
This is a formal and relatively uncommon adjective. It is associated especially with legal, medical, forensic, and historical writing and is more explicit than euphemistic alternatives.