Innfant is a British term,and was used to refer to all those who had not attained their majority, That is an an :infant “ at law. Amnm infant diod not have the capacity to purchase property for example, under old British law.
The term then came to America. Now all sorts of more creative words are used such as “minor child, emancipated child”, etc, because they were thought to be less confusing to those not initiated to legal terminology.
I like the old British system. Infant= less than 21. Adult= 21 and over. Not at all confusing.
A child can be emancipated when he or she is 16 and movers away from home.So them you get “Emancipated infant” ( ie not old enough to vote, but not dependent on parents).Most people would think that emancipated meant able to vote,..It doesn’t.
I prefer the older system of infant/adult. Less complicated.
Well, all I know is that when our son was 16 and I referred to him as an *infant* he NEVER would’ve bought the fact that it’s a British term.