baa
verb (used without object)
to make the sound of a sheep; bleat.
baa
1 American
[ba, bah]
/ bæ, bɑ /
verb (used without object)
-
baas,
present (3rd person singular)
-
baaed,
past participle, past
-
baaing
present participle
noun
-
baas
plural
B.A.A.
2
American
abbreviation
baa
1
British
/ bɑː /
verb
noun
BAA
2
British
noun
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
baasimple
-
baassimple
-
have baaedperfect
-
has baaedperfect
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am baaingprogressive
-
are baaingprogressive
-
is baaingprogressive
-
have been baaingperfect progressive
-
has been baaingperfect progressive
Past
-
baaedsimple
-
had baaedperfect
-
was baaingprogressive
-
were baaingprogressive
-
had been baaingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of baa
First recorded in 1580–90; imitative
Explanation
Use the word baa to describe the sound a sheep makes. A lamb might baa for its mother if it finds itself alone. Every language has words that mimic the cries and noises animals make, and in English sheep and goats baa. In Dutch, sheep say bè bè, and in Japanese they say meh meh. The imitative word baa, first recorded in the late 1500s, can be either a noun or a verb, depending how you use it. Baa makes a famous appearance in the well-known children's song "Baa baa Black Sheep."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
All baa myself: Is this Britain's loneliest sheep?
From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2023
Bleat, baa, and ragdoll your way through the world getting up to all kinds of goat-flavored shenanigans.
From The Verge ● Aug. 23, 2022
He’s all baa and no humbug in the new animated adventure “Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 28, 2021
They will bleat and baa and maybe even butt heads.
From New York Times ● Aug. 27, 2017
The goat can’t baa, Because his lips Are gripping the pipe — A funny sight for The chickens, Who stay clear.
From "Neighborhood Odes" by Gary Soto
“It has been an enormous and gratifying privilege to lead the B.A.A. and to serve with a magnificent group of colleagues who have been instrumental in the organization’s development and growth,” Grilk in the statement.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 23, 2022
“We had to have her,” B.A.A. chief operating officer Jack Fleming said.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 9, 2021
"The B.A.A. is tremendously saddened to learn of the passing of Boston Marathon icon Dick Hoyt," the organization said in a statement.
From Fox News ● Mar. 18, 2021
For more information on the B.A.A., please visit www.baa.org.
From Washington Times ● Jul. 10, 2018
Before the 1949-50 season, the B.A.A. and the N.B.L. merged to form the N.B.A.
From New York Times ● Jun. 2, 2016
This spring, the BAA said it would add minutes to times of runners who use downhill courses to qualify.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2025
On April 13, 2022, days before the marathon, the BAA held a ceremony to honor Spencer’s years of service alongside the course.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 24, 2023
After the BAA updated its policy, English is out the $15 insurance fee and will have to submit the refunded $235 entry fee to run next year, but she won’t have to qualify again.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 2, 2023
"We will review all children where the audit and reviews by BAA have raised concerns and will share any identified assessments that were not carried out to the required standard," she said.
From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2022
Eddie Gottlieb won the first title ever in the NBA’s precursor, the BAA, in 1947 for the Warriors.
From Washington Times ● Jun. 1, 2022
In Chicago this week, amid bellows, oinks, neighs and baas, with the skirl of a bagpipe band, exuberant farmers gathered for the 42nd International Livestock Exposition.
From Time Magazine Archive
In their tongue B.A.A.S. would spell revolting baas, "master," "boss."
From Time Magazine Archive
Said a rival: "Lady Caroline baas like a little sheep."
From Time Magazine Archive
No one was calling me baas and master any longer.
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
“The baas has an important dinner date, and there’s nothing I can do about it.”
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
That followed a French operetta duet that had Felicity Lott making turkey noises while Maltman baaed like a sheep.
From The Guardian ● Nov. 30, 2012
If Dolly the cloned sheep had been able to talk, would she have chased those Scottish scientists into their lab and baaed for explanations?
From Salon ● Jun. 6, 2012
"Oh, if I could only find a way to get over into your yard," baaed Billy to Nannie.
From Billy Whiskers' Adventures by Paul Hawthorne
Zor herself baaed with joy; and, having completely forgotten the anything but affectionate parting of two weeks before, put her nose to her mistress' cheek and loudly sounded her pleasure.
From Istar of Babylon A Phantasy by Margaret Horton Potter
Wings; baaed on the Paramount picture … illustrated with scenes from the photoplay. © 9Sep27; A1004076.
From U.S. Copyright Renewals, 1954 July - December by Library of Congress. Copyright Office
As he passionately delivers the final choruses, two actors in sheep hats pop up and sing along with him, baaing the titular lyrics to big audience laughs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 13, 2021
At the Joneslan Farm, on a dirt road with views of mountains, the goats erupt into baaing and crowd the fences inside the barn to inspect anyone who walks in as they munch on hay.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 20, 2021
On the lawn in front of Isabella Rossellini’s house, an elegant barn-to-home conversion in a chicly rural corner of Long Island, a few of them stood around baaing, waiting for their person to emerge.
From New York Times ● Oct. 11, 2020
Tourists may soon see baaing sheep at the Eiffel Tower.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 15, 2013
But before long the baaing of sheep drowned them all out.
From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
