In child language acquisition, what is the single-word stage called?

In child language acquisition, the single-word stage is called the holophrastic stage. During this period, a child may use one word to communicate an idea that an adult would express with a complete sentence.

For example, “up” might mean “Pick me up,” “milk” could mean “I want milk,” and “ball” might mean “Give me the ball.” The intended meaning is supplied by context, facial expression, gesture, tone, and the situation. The child is not necessarily producing a grammatically complete sentence; the single word functions as a compact message.

The term comes from “holophrase,” meaning a single word used to express a whole thought. Textbooks also call this period the “one-word stage,” and it commonly appears around 12 to 18 months, though development varies widely among children. It follows babbling and generally precedes the two-word stage.

Holophrasis should not be confused with telegraphic speech. Telegraphic language comes later, when children combine words but often omit grammatical markers, as in “Daddy go work.” “Babbling” is earlier vocal practice rather than meaningful one-word communication.