babu

American  

[bah-boo] / ˈbɑ bu /

Also baboo

noun

1. a Hindu title of address equivalent to Sir, Mr., or Esquire.

2. a Hindu gentleman.

3. Older Use. an Indian clerk who can write in English.

4. Usually Disparaging. any Indian having only a limited knowledge of English.

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babu British  

/ ˈbɑːbuː /

noun

1. (in India) a title or form of address more or less equivalent to Mr , placed before a person's full name or after his first name

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Sensitive Note

The term babu English is a disparaging name for a florid, overly polite, or unidiomatic variety of English historically associated with Indians who have limited proficiency in English.

Etymology

Origin of babu

First recorded in 1875–80, babu is from the Hindi word bābū