babe

Definition

A baby or infant; a very young human or animal.

Etymology

From Middle English babe, a variant of earlier baban, perhaps from Old English *baba (“boy, child”), from Proto-West Germanic *babō, from Proto-Germanic *babô, reduplicated variant of *ba-, *bō- (“father, brother, close male relation”). cognates and related terms Related to Old Frisian bobba (“child”) (whence North Frisian babbe, babb, babe (“child”)), Old High German Babo (a male forename), see boy. Otherwise, origin obscure. Compare mama, dada, papa. Welsh baban (“baby”), believed by Skeat to be a mutation of maban, a diminutive of mab (“son”), is probably rather a borrowing from English. Cognate also with English bub.

Example Sentences

• "These events came to pass when he was but a babe."
• "Though he possess sweet babes and loving wife, A home of peace by loyal friendships cheered, And love them more than death or happy life,"
• "She's a real babe!"