Toddler
/ˈtɒd.lər/noun
A young child who is just beginning to walk.
Did you know?The word is tied to the verb toddle, meaning to walk with short, unsteady steps, and it likely grew out of an English dialect word for a dawdling, waddling gait rather than any ancient ritual term.
Etymological Timeline
Early Modern English
English
tod(d)le
“to walk with short, unsteady steps; to move about in a playful, wavering way”
16th–17th Century
English
tod
“a small, sprightly child; also a fox in some dialect uses, but the child sense is separate and less certain”
16th–17th Century
English
toddle
“to walk unsteadily, especially like a small child”
18th Century
English
toddler
“a child who toddles; later, specifically a very young child learning to walk”
Modern English
English
toddler
“a young child, usually between about one and three years old”