"Infantilism" Natural Recordings by Native Speakers
Infantilism is a noun that refers to the practice of treating adults as if they were children or the retention of childish qualities, characteristics, or behaviors by an adult. It can also refer to a style of literature, art, or film that is simplistic, naive, and typically features childish characters or themes. In a broader sense, infantilism can describe a societal or cultural tendency to infantilize people, often due to a lack of respect or understanding of their autonomy and capacity for decision-making.
To infantilise someone or something means to treat them as if they were a child, often in a condescending or patronising manner. This can involve speaking to them in a childish tone, explaining things in a simplified way, or making decisions for them without their input. Infantilising can be seen as restrictive, limiting, or even belittling, and it is often used to describe a situation where someone is not being taken seriously or is being dismissed as unimportant.