in-fans (infas, Momms. Inscr. R. N. 66; 5376; Inscr. Grut. 688, 2), fantis (gen. plur. infantium, but infantum, Plin. Ep. 9, 20, 14), adj. [in-for],
I 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, id. 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 Esp., of the unborn child : infantem in utero matris Io triumphe clamasse, Liv. 24, 10 fin. —
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.).