baby
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: enpr: bā'bē
ipa: /ˈbeɪ̯.bi/
rhymes: -eɪbi
Forms: form: babies
Etymology: From Middle English baby, babie (“baby”), a diminutive form of babe (“babe, baby”), equivalent to babe + -y/-ie (“endearing and diminutive suffix”). Perhaps ultimately imitative of baby talk (compare babble).
Senses: examples: text: The baby new to earth and sky,
⁠What time his tender palm is prest
⁠Against the circle of the breast,
Has never thought that ‘this is I:’ […]
ref: 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XLIV”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 67:
text: In that film, I often hid my head in my hands, unable to watch scenes about dead babies and diving into gruesome lavatories.
ref: 2017 January 19, Peter Bradshaw, “T2 Trainspotting review – choose a sequel that doesn't disappoint”, in The Guardian:
glosses: A very young human, particularly from birth to a couple of years old or until walking is fully mastered.
examples: text: When is your baby due?
text: Her baby had always been active, even before he was born, when he would kick her bladder.
text: Karen went to England to have her baby several months before he was born so he would have the medication she needed before the baby was born and she wanted the doctors she was used to when she lived there. It would be cheaper to have the baby in England. Karen named the baby Bill Joseph […] He laughed a lot and loved his bath which he took in a plastic baby tub.
ref: 2013 June 7, Natalie Pierce, Weaving My Way Through Life, Author House, →ISBN, page 44:
glosses: A very young human, even if not yet born.
glosses: 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.
examples: text: Stand up for yourself – don't be such a baby!
glosses: A person who is immature, infantile, or feeble.
examples: text: I only qualified as an architect this summer, so I'm still a baby.
glosses: A person who is new to or inexperienced in something.
examples: text: Adam is the baby of the family.
text: "You are very dull this morning, Sheriff," said the youngest daughter of the house, who, being the baby and pretty, had grown pettishly privileged in speech.
ref: 1895, S. R. Crockett, A Cry Across the Black Water:
text: "He's a year older than me." "You're the baby, eh?"
ref: 1930, Norman Lindsay, Redheap, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, →OCLC, page 114:
glosses: The lastborn of a family; the youngest sibling, irrespective of age.
examples: text: Too busy thinking about my baby, and I ain't got time for nothing else.
text: Baby, don't cry.
text: Well, since my baby left me,
Well, I found a new place to dwell.
Well, it's down at the end of Lonely Street
At Heartbreak Hotel.
ref: 1956, “Heartbreak Hotel”, Mae Boren Axton, Tommy Durden, Elvis Presley (lyrics), performed by Elvis Presley:
glosses: A person's romantic partner; a term of endearment used to refer to or address e.g. one's girlfriend, boyfriend, or spouse.
examples: text: Hey baby, what are you doing later?
glosses: A form of address to a person considered to be attractive.
examples: text: This test program I've designed is my new baby.
glosses: A concept or creation endeared by its creator.
examples: text: You need to talk to John about that – it's his baby.
text: Sovnarkom was Lenin's baby, it was where he focused all his energies […].
ref: 1996, Orlando Figes, A People's Tragedy, Folio Society, published 2015, page 902:
glosses: A pet project or responsibility.
examples: text: See my new car here? I can't wait to take this baby for a drive.
glosses: An affectionate term for anything.
glosses: A small image of an infant; a doll.
examples: text: baby queer; baby trans
text: These more general spells and rituals can also be helpful for baby witches, who might want more time to practice before they hop into highly-specific spells.
ref: 2020, Nina Kahn, The Joy of Hex: Modern Spells Without All the Bullsh*t, unnumbered page:
text: That was even worse than blurting my sexuality like I had when I was what we called a “baby dyke” in college, desperate to find other lesbians for friendship or more.
ref: 2020, Jane Kolven, The Holiday Detour, unnumbered page:
text: As someone who is still a 'baby trans', these collaborations have taught me so much about what it means to live outside cisnormativity.
ref: 2021, Yve Rees, quoted in Sam Elkin & Yve Rees, "Spilling the T", Bent Street: Australian LGBTIQA+ Arts, Writing & Ideas, Volume 5, Issue 1, unnumbered page
glosses: One who is new to an identity or community.
Synonyms: sense: young human being
word: babe
word: babby
word: babbie
word: infant
sense: young animal
word: youngling
sense: immature or infantile person
word: big baby
sense: term of endearment
word: love
word: sweetheart
word: bab
word: babber
word: babe in arms
word: baby
word: bairn
word: bantling
word: bub
word: bundle of joy
word: chit
word: crotch dropping
word: crotchfruit
word: fleshloaf
word: nursling
word: papoose
word: poop factory
word: poop machine
word: suckling
word: shit factory
Hypernyms: word: child
Hyponyms: word: preemie
word: neonate
word: newborn
Related terms: babeh
gamete
zygote
morula
blastocyst
embryo
fetus