baby

[bey-bee]

noun

plural

babies 

1. an infant or very young child.

2. a newborn or very young animal.

3. the youngest member of a family, group, etc..

   I was the baby of the family for ten years, until my twin brothers were born.

4. an adult who behaves like a child; an immature, helpless, or fearful person.

   Just swallow the medicine—don't be such a baby!

5. a human fetus.

   The baby hasn’t arrived yet, but the nursery is ready.

6. Informal.

   1. Sometimes Disparaging and Offensive.,  a girl or woman, especially an attractive one.

   2. a person of whom one is deeply fond; sweetheart.

   3. (sometimes initial capital letter),  an affectionate or familiar address (sometimes offensive when used to strangers, casual acquaintances, subordinates, etc., especially by a male to a female).

   4. a man or boy; fellow.

      He's a tough baby to have to deal with.

   5. an invention, creation, project, or the like that requires one's special attention or expertise or of which one is especially proud.

      His charitable foundation is his baby and it truly shows.

   6. an object; thing.

      Those big babies can carry a lot of cargo.

adjective

1. of or suitable for a baby.

   baby clothes.

2. of or like a baby; infantile.

   baby skin.

3. treating babies.

   a baby doctor.

   Synonyms: coddle, humor, spoil, indulge

4. small; comparatively little.

   baby eggplants.

verb (used with object)

babied, babying 

1. to treat like a young child; pamper.

   She still babies her son although he's nearly 24.

2. to handle or use with special care; treat gently.

baby

/ ˈbeɪbɪ /

noun

1. 1. a newborn or recently born child; infant

   2. ( as modifier )

      baby food

2. an unborn child; fetus

3. the youngest or smallest of a family or group

4. 1. a newborn or recently born animal

   2. ( as modifier )

      baby rabbits

5. derogatory,  an immature person

6. slang,  a young woman or sweetheart: often used as a term of address expressing affection

7. a project of personal concern

8. to be left with the responsibility

9. to lose the essential element by indiscriminate rejection

adjective

1. (prenominal) comparatively small of its type

   a baby car

verb

1. to treat with love and attention

2. to treat (someone) like a baby; pamper or overprotect

Other Word Forms

• babyhood noun
• babyish adjective
• babyishly adverb
• babyishness noun
• babylike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of baby¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; babe, -y ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of baby¹

C14: probably childish reduplication; compare _mama , _papa ¹

Idioms and Phrases

see throw out the baby with the bath water.

Example Sentences

A percentage of babies born every day will manifest queer characteristics, and though countless strongmen have left fields of carnage in attempts to manage so-called bloodlines, nobody can override such DNA destiny.

From Salon

Plus, both songs share a secret weapon: Swift’s irresistible enunciation of the word “baby.”

From Los Angeles Times

Delila Combs, 18, pleaded: "We can't watch our baby sister grow up fatherless the same way we grew up motherless... Please, please give our family the chance to heal."

From BBC

The jury heard Brendon suffered "catastrophic injuries" including a fractured skull, a broken neck, a broken jaw and broken legs in Yeovil District Hospital's special care baby unit in Somerset on 5 March 2024.

From BBC

Last July, the 32-year-old had to travel to Asheville, North Carolina, to obtain a surgical abortion after doctors told her at 15 weeks that her baby had heart failure and was not going to survive.

From Salon

Related Words

• babe 
• chick 
• child 
• kid 
• toddler 
• youngster