Preemie

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈpɹiːmi/

Definitions

1. A newborn that arrives before the typical gestation period ends An infant who is born prior to 37 weeks of pregnancy, often requiring intensive care A child delivered prematurely, usually necessitating specialized medical attention
2. A baby born earlier than the usual nine-month term, often needing special neonatal care
3. An infant delivered before completing the full term of pregnancy, typically requiring medical monitoring

Etymology: "Preemie" is a clipped form of "premature," with the diminutive or familiar ending "-ie" added to the end. The shortened base "prem-" carries the sense of "before the due time," from the Latin "praematurus," meaning "too early" or "untimely," built from "prae" (before) and "maturus" (ripe). The "-ie" suffix is the same one found in words like "movie" and "hippie," and it gives the term a fond, informal tone. The result is a word that clips a clinical adjective into a nickname. Its final sound is the same as in "-y" and "-ie" endings, which is why the spelling varies, with "preemie" and "premie" both in use. Its root is a familiar classical formation, so the interest lies in how a medical description became an affectionate everyday label for the babies themselves.

Synonyms: premature baby, preterm infant