since infancy

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "since infancy" is correct and is commonly used in written English.
This phrase usually appears in the middle or at the end of a sentence. For example: "Amanda has been interested in marine biology since infancy."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

She has been deaf since infancy.

The Washington Post

She has, after all, been a Hollywood star since infancy.

The Guardian - Film

He was a seasonal resident of Florida since infancy.

The New York Times

Ian Wightman has lived in Australia since infancy.

The Guardian

What made them remarkable, however, is the fact that Carcione has been blind since infancy.

The New York Times - Magazine

Justin, whose ring name is J. B. Crazzee, has been watching wrestling since infancy.

The New York Times

A voracious reader since infancy, she adored Proust, Stendhal, Gide and Camus.

The Guardian - Books

It is roast loin of Oliver, a pig that our chef has raised since infancy.

The New Yorker

Many had lived in Australia since infancy, or had Australian partners and children.

The Guardian

"All Eyes on Me" reflects the attention paid to his basketball skills since infancy.

The New York Times - Magazine

It's a tremendous advantage to have been instilled with the habit of self-assertion since infancy.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "since infancy" to emphasize that a trait, condition, or habit has been present from the earliest stages of life. This is particularly useful in medical, psychological, or biographical contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "since infancy" when you actually mean "since childhood" or "since toddlerhood". Infancy specifically refers to the period from birth to roughly one year of age.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "since infancy" functions as an adverbial phrase of time, modifying a verb to indicate when an action, state, or condition began. As seen in Ludwig's examples, it often connects a past event to the present, highlighting the duration from the earliest stages of life.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

46%

Science

28%

Academia

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Wiki

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "since infancy" is a common and grammatically correct adverbial phrase used to indicate that something has been present from the earliest stages of life. As confirmed by Ludwig, it is most frequently found in News & Media, Science, and Academic contexts, where it is used to emphasize the long-standing nature of a trait, condition, or behavior. While versatile, it is important to remember that "infancy" specifically refers to the period from birth to roughly one year of age to avoid misapplication. Using related phrases like "from early childhood" or "since birth" can provide nuanced alternatives depending on the intended meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

since birth

Emphasizes the moment of birth as the starting point, similar to "since infancy".

since being a baby

Uses more informal language to refer to the period after birth.

from the time I was a baby

A more verbose, personal way of saying the same thing.

from early childhood

Focuses on the period of early childhood rather than the specific starting point of infancy.

from the cradle

A more metaphorical way to indicate from the earliest stages of life.

from a very young age

Generalizes the starting point to a young age without specifying infancy.

since the beginning of life

More formal and broad, referring to the entire lifespan from its start.

since I was very young

Implies a starting point in early youth, not necessarily infancy.

since I could crawl

Relates to physical development as the beginning, rather than just age.

since day one

A more modern and colloquial phrase indicating from the very start.

FAQs

How can I use "since infancy" in a sentence?

You can use "since infancy" to indicate that something has been present or ongoing from the earliest stages of life. For example, "She has had a passion for music "since infancy"".

What's a more formal alternative to "since infancy"?

A more formal alternative to "since infancy" could be "from birth" or "from the earliest stages of development", depending on the context.

Is it correct to say 'from infancy' instead of "since infancy"?

While "from infancy" can be grammatically correct, "since infancy" is typically used to indicate a continuing state or action that began in infancy. "From infancy" often introduces a description of that period, without implying continuity to the present.

What is the difference between "since childhood" and "since infancy"?

"Since childhood" refers to the period from about 1 year old until adolescence. "Since infancy" refers specifically to the first year of life. For example, you might say someone has loved reading "since childhood" but has had eczema "since infancy".