Meaning & use
toddler
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A young child, usually between about one and three years old, who has just learned to walk.
Grammar: Countable: use 'a toddler' or 'toddlers' for more than one.
Patterns
- a toddler
- toddlers
- a toddler of something
Their toddler is just starting to walk and gets into everything.
She runs a playgroup for toddlers and their parents.
By the time he was a toddler, he could already say a few words.
nounbefore a noun
Used before another noun to describe things made for or typical of young children of this age.
Grammar: Used like an adjective before a noun: toddler clothes, toddler food.
Patterns
- toddler clothes
- toddler food
- toddler group
We bought toddler shoes with soft soles for her first steps.
The shop sells toddler toys and baby clothes.
He spilled his toddler cup all over the floor.
Word forms
| plural | toddlers |
|---|
Common combinations
- a toddler group
- Every Tuesday she takes her son to a toddler group at the community center.
- toddler food
- The supermarket has a whole section of toddler food in small jars.
- a toddler's first steps
- The family filmed the toddler's first steps in the living room.
- a toddler tantrum
- A toddler tantrum in the middle of the store can be embarrassing for parents.
- a toddler bed
- Once he climbed out of his crib, we moved him to a toddler bed.
Synonyms and how they differ
- baby
- A baby is younger, usually not yet walking, so it fits before about one year old.
- infant
- Infant is more formal and medical, and it often means a baby in the first months of life.
- preschooler
- A preschooler is older, usually three to five, and may already attend a nursery or preschool.
- little one
- Little one is an affectionate, informal way to talk about a small child of any age.
Word family
- toddle verb
- To walk with short, unsteady steps, like a young child.
- toddling adjective
- Walking unsteadily with short steps, as a young child does.
- toddlerhood noun
- The stage of life when a child is a toddler.
Commonly confused: toddler or toddle? toddler or toddler?
toddler vs toddle
Toddle is the verb meaning to walk unsteadily; toddler is the noun for the child.
toddler vs toddler
The spelling doubles the d: toddler, not 'todler'. It comes from 'toddle' plus -er.
Practice
Choose the correct word: 'Their ___ has just learned to walk.'
Choose one answer.
'Toddler' is the singular countable noun for the child, which fits with 'has'. 'Toddle' is the verb, 'toddlers' is plural so it would need 'have', and 'toddling' is a participle, not a noun here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “toddler”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.