baby

Etymology

From Middle English babee, babi (“baby”), from babe (“babe, baby”), equivalent to babe +‎ -y/-ie (“endearing and diminutive suffix”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: bā'bē, IPA^(key): /ˈbeɪbi/

• Audio (US)

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• Audio (UK)

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• Audio

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• Rhymes: -eɪbi

Noun

baby (plural babies)

1. A very young human, particularly from birth to a couple of years old or until walking is fully mastered.
   • 2017 January 19, Peter Bradshaw, “T2 Trainspotting review – choose a sequel that doesn't disappoint”, in the Guardian‎:

     In that film, I often hid my head in my hands, unable to watch scenes about dead babies and diving into gruesome lavatories.

2. Any very young animal, especially a vertebrate; many species have specific names for their babies, such as kittens for the babies of cats, puppies for the babies of dogs, and chicks for the babies of birds. See Category:Baby animals for more.
3. Unborn young; a fetus.

   When is your baby due?

4. A person who is immature or infantile.

   Stand up for yourself - don't be such a baby!

5. Term of endearment for a girlfriend or boyfriend or spouse.
6. (informal) A form of address to a man or a woman considered to be attractive.

   Hey baby, what are you doing later?

7. A pet project or responsibility.
   • 1996, Orlando Figes, A People's Tragedy, Folio Society 2015, p. 902:

     Sovnarkom was Lenin's baby, it was where he focused all his energies […].

8. The lastborn of a family.
9. An affectionate term for anything.

   See my new car here? I can't wait to take this baby for a drive.

10. (archaic) A small image of an infant; a doll.

Adjective

baby (not comparable) (used only before the noun)

1. Of a child: very young; of the age when he or she would be termed a baby or infant.

   a baby boy

2. Of an animal: young.

   a baby elephant

3. Intended for babies.

   baby clothes

4. (of vegetables, etc.) Picked when small and immature (as in baby corn, baby potatoes).

Verb

baby (third-person singular simple present babies, present participle babying, simple past and past participle babied)

1. (transitive) To coddle; to pamper somebody like an infant.
   • 1922, Sinclair Lewis, Babbitt, Chapter,

     […] though he tried to be gruff and mature, he yielded to her and was glad to be babied.

   • 1944, Emily Carr, The House of All Sorts, "Friction,"

     Then the man effected measles and stayed off the job for six weeks, babying himself at home, though he lived just round the corner from my half-built house.

2. (transitive) To tend (something) with care; to be overly attentive to (something), fuss over.
   • 1967, "Mr. Mac and His Team," Time, 31 March, 1967,

     In the past 27 years, "Mr. Mac," as he is known to his 46,000 teammates, has built and babied his McDonnell Co. from nothing into a $1 billion-a-year corporation.

   • 1912, Linda Craig, interviewed by Theresa Forte, "Tree and Twig farm — a treasure chest of heirloom tomatoes," Welland Tribune, 25 May, 2012,

     I have grown them for years and although some years are better than others, I have always had loads of tomatoes by not babying them, going easy on the water, and fertilizing with compost in the planting hole.

Derived terms

Pages starting with "baby".

Related terms

• babe

See also

• child
• infant
• toddler

Anagrams

• Abby

Etymology

Borrowed from English baby.

Noun

baby c (singular definite babyen, plural indefinite babyer)

1. A baby, an infant.
2. (slang) An attractive young female.

Etymology

From English baby.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbeːbi/

• audio

  (file)

Noun

baby m (plural baby's, diminutive baby'tje n)

1. baby (infant)

Alternative forms

• beibi

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: ba‧by
• IPA^(key): /ˈbei̯bi/
• (rare) IPA^(key): /ˈbɑby/

Noun

baby

1. baby (term of endearment)
2. baby (very young human)

Etymology

From English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ba.bi/

Noun

baby m (plural babys)

1. table soccer, table football
2. baby, darling, sweetheart

Further reading

• “baby” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Noun

baby

1. baby

Noun

baby m (invariable)

1. child, baby, neonate
2. a small shot of whisky
3. tripod for a film camera

Adjective

baby (invariant)

1. For use by young children
2. Very young

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈbabɨ]

Noun

baby

1. genitive singular of baba
2. nominative plural of baba
3. accusative plural of baba

Etymology

From English baby

Noun

baby m (definite singular babyen, indefinite plural babyer, definite plural babyene)

1. a baby

References

• “baby” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Etymology

From English baby

Noun

baby m (definite singular babyen, indefinite plural babyar, definite plural babyane)

1. a baby

References

• “baby” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Noun

baby m (plural babys)

1. baby