The early stage of growth or development.

synonyms: babyhood, early childhood.

Roget 127: youth; juvenility, juvenescence^†; juniority^†; infancy; babyhood, childhood, boyhood, girlhood, youthhood^†; incunabula; minority, nonage, teens, tender age, bloom.    cradle, nursery, leading strings, pupilage, puberty, pucelage^†.    prime of life, flower of life, springtide of life^†, seedtime of life, golden season of life; heyday of youth, school days; rising generation.    ... show more

Roget 66: beginning, commencement, opening, outset, incipience, inception, inchoation^†; introduction etc. (precursor) 64; alpha, initial; inauguration, debut, le premier pas, embarcation [Fr.], rising of the curtain; maiden speech; outbreak, onset, brunt; initiative, move, first move; narrow end of the wedge, thin end of the wedge; fresh start, new departure.    origin etc. (cause) 153; source, rise; bud, germ etc. 153; egg, rudiment; genesis, primogenesis^†, birth, nativity, cradle, infancy; start, inception, creation, starting point etc. 293; dawn etc. (morning) 125; evolution.    title-page; head, heading; van etc. (front) 234; caption, fatihah^†.    entrance, entry; inlet, orifice, mouth, chops, lips, porch, portal, portico, propylon^†, door; gate, gateway; postern, wicket, threshold, vestibule; propylaeum^†; skirts, border etc. (edge) 231.    first stage, first blush, first glance, first impression, first sight.    rudiments, elements, outlines, grammar, alphabet, ABC.    ... show more

Dutch: jeugd, jeugdjaren, kindertijd
Polish: niemowlęctwo

The earliest state of immaturity.

synonym: babyhood.