babbitt
- Babbitt metal.
- a bearing or lining of Babbitt metal.
- pertaining to or made of Babbitt metal.
- to line, face, or furnish with Babbitt metal.
Origin of babbitt
Babbitt
- Irving,1865–1933, U.S. educator and critic.
- Milton Byron,1916–2011, U.S. composer.
- (italics) a novel (1922) by Sinclair Lewis.
- (often lowercase) a self-satisfied person who conforms readily to conventional, middle-class ideas and ideals, especially of business and material success; Philistine: from the main character in the novel by Sinclair Lewis.
Examples from the Web for babbitt
Contemporary Examples of babbitt
Though Babbitt turns ninety this year, Georgie Babbitt still lives and breathes and harrumphs.
What, Babbitt wonders in another quiet moment, is it all about?
The most startling thing about Babbitt today is not its satire but the haunting, if brief, moments of introspection.
Sinclair Lewis's satirical 1922 novel Babbitt became a national phenomenon.
A whisper campaign begins, and soon Babbitt finds himself blacklisted from Zenith society.
Historical Examples of babbitt
Babbitt, looking like a triumphantly vicious Bantam rooster, crowed on.
ShavingsJoseph C. Lincoln
"Mr. Babbitt and I have just been discussing some points connected with the war," he observed.
ShavingsJoseph C. Lincoln
Babbitt jerked his shoulder from Grover's grasp and strode to the door.
ShavingsJoseph C. Lincoln
"'Twas—'twas Cap'n Sam he was goin' to tell," he whispered, pointing at Babbitt.
ShavingsJoseph C. Lincoln
He just thinks Babbitt was circulatin' lies about Ruth—about your sister.
ShavingsJoseph C. Lincoln
babbitt
- (tr) to line (a bearing) or face (a surface) with Babbitt metal or a similar soft alloy
Babbitt
- US derogatory a narrow-minded and complacent member of the middle class
Word Origin for Babbitt
Word Origin and History for babbitt
Babbitt
"conventional, complacent, materialistic American businessman," 1923, from George Babbitt, title character of Sinclair Lewis' novel (1922).
His name was George F. Babbitt. He was forty-six years old now, in April 1920, and he made nothing in particular, neither butter nor shoes nor poetry, but he was nimble in the selling of houses for more money than people could afford to pay. [Sinclair Lewis, "Babbitt," 1922]