Holophrasis

Holophrasis is a language development stage in young children where a single word is used to express an entire idea, emotion, or request. For example, a child saying "milk" might mean "I want milk" or "There is milk." It reflects how children initially communicate complex thoughts with simple words, relying on context and tone. This stage typically occurs around age one and marks an important step in language growth, showing their ability to connect words with meaning even before forming complete sentences.