nine-month-old
UK[ˌnaɪn mʌnθ ˈəʊld]US[ˌnaɪn mʌnθ ˈoʊld]
adj
Being nine months in age
n
A person or animal that is nine months old
Morpheme Breakdown
nine
month
old
nine
number
month
unit of time
old
age
Etymology
The compound "nine-month-old" follows a standard English pattern for specifying age, combining a number, a time unit, and the adjective "old." Each element has deep Germanic roots. "Nine" descends from the Proto-Germanic newun, "month" from menoth-, and "old" from aldaz. The specific combination to denote the precise age of nine months is a modern, logical construction, primarily used in developmental, medical, or descriptive contexts to indicate a very specific life stage for infants, both human and animal.
Analysis
Structure: nine (number) + month (unit of time) + old (age)
- nine: From Old English nigon, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch negen and German neun. Functions as a cardinal number.
- month: From Old English mōnath, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch maand and German Monat. Functions as a noun denoting a unit of time.
- old: From Old English eald, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch oud and German alt. Functions as an adjective describing age.
Examples
The pediatrician examined the healthy nine-month-old baby.
They are looking for a family to adopt this adorable nine-month-old.
At nine-month-old, most babies can sit without support.