baby

plural babies

1. A very young human, particularly from birth to a couple of years old or until walking is fully mastered.

   In that film, I often hid my head in my hands, unable to watch scenes about dead babies and diving into gruesome lavatories.

   2017 January 19, Peter Bradshaw, “T2 Trainspotting review – choose a sequel that doesn't disappoint”, in The Guardian

   1 more example

   The baby new to earth and sky, ⁠What time his tender palm is prest ⁠Against the circle of the breast, Has never thought that ‘this is I:’ […]

   1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XLIV”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 67

   1. A very young human, even if not yet born.

      When is your baby due?

      2 more examples

      Her baby had always been active, even before he was born, when he would kick her bladder.

      Karen went to England to have her baby several months before he was born so he would have the medication she needed before the baby was born and she wanted the doctors she was used to when she lived there. It would be cheaper to have the baby in England. Karen named the baby Bill Joseph […] He laughed a lot and loved his bath which he took in a plastic baby tub.

      2013 June 7, Natalie Pierce, Weaving My Way Through Life, Author House, →ISBN, page 44

2. Any very young animal, especially a vertebrate; many species have specific names for their babies, such as kittens for the babies of cats, puppies for the babies of dogs, and chicks for the babies of birds. See :Category:Baby animals for more.

   Synonyms: youngling

3. A person who is immature, infantile, or feeble.

   Stand up for yourself – don't be such a baby!

   Synonyms: big baby

4. A person who is new to or inexperienced in something.

   I only qualified as an architect this summer, so I'm still a baby.

5. The lastborn of a family; the youngest sibling, irrespective of age.

   Adam is the baby of the family.

   2 more examples

   "You are very dull this morning, Sheriff," said the youngest daughter of the house, who, being the baby and pretty, had grown pettishly privileged in speech.

   1895, S. R. Crockett, A Cry Across the Black Water

   "He's a year older than me." "You're the baby, eh?"

   1930, Norman Lindsay, Redheap, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, →OCLC, page 114

6. A person's romantic partner; a term of endearment used to refer to or address e.g. one's girlfriend, boyfriend, or spouse.

   Baby, don't cry.

   2 more examples

   Too busy thinking about my baby, and I ain't got time for nothing else.

   Well, since my baby left me, Well, I found a new place to dwell. Well, it's down at the end of Lonely Street At Heartbreak Hotel.

   1956, “Heartbreak Hotel”, Mae Boren Axton, Tommy Durden, Elvis Presley (lyrics), performed by Elvis Presley

   Synonyms: love

7. informalA form of address to a person considered to be attractive.

   Hey baby, what are you doing later?

8. A thing that is comparatively small of its kind.

   There will be only seven episodes in the final season. Previous seasons had as many as ten, nine, and eight episodes total. So this one is definitely the baby. After the season premiere, episodes will drop weekly-ish on Thursdays.

   2026 April 10, Leah Marilla Thomas, “Here’s When Every Episode of ‘Hacks’ Season 5 Drops”, in Cosmopolitan

9. A concept or creation endeared by its creator.

   This test program I've designed is my new baby.

10. A pet project or responsibility.

    You need to talk to John about that – it's his baby.

    1 more example

    Sovnarkom was Lenin's baby, it was where he focused all his energies […].

    1996, Orlando Figes, A People's Tragedy, Folio Society, published 2015, page 902

11. An affectionate term for anything.

    See my new car here? I can't wait to take this baby for a drive.

12. archaicA small image of an infant; a doll.
13. attributiveoftenOne who is new to an identity or community.

    baby queer; baby trans

    3 more examples

    These more general spells and rituals can also be helpful for baby witches, who might want more time to practice before they hop into highly-specific spells.

    2020, Nina Kahn, The Joy of Hex: Modern Spells Without All the Bullsh*t, unnumbered page

    That was even worse than blurting my sexuality like I had when I was what we called a “baby dyke” in college, desperate to find other lesbians for friendship or more.

    2020, Jane Kolven, The Holiday Detour, unnumbered page

    As someone who is still a 'baby trans', these collaborations have taught me so much about what it means to live outside cisnormativity.

    2021, Yve Rees, quoted in Sam Elkin & Yve Rees, "Spilling the T", Bent Street: Australian LGBTIQA+ Arts, Writing & Ideas, Volume 5, Issue 1, unnumbered page

comparative babier · comparative babyer · comparative baby-er · superlative babiest · superlative babyest · superlative baby-est

1. usuallyPicked when small and immature (as in baby corn, baby potatoes).
2. Newest (overall, or in some group or state); most inexperienced.

   That evening, we grouped about the fire in the parlor, a wide circle that left room for the babyest of the party to disport themselves upon the rug, in the glow of the grate piled with cannel coal.

   1910, Marion Harland, Marion Harland's Autobiography: The Story of a Long Life, page 408

   3 more examples

   Mrs. Paull held out her hand to the babyest of the quartette, as they tiptoed up to the bed. “Lift her up, please, Marie!” she said, motioning to the place enclosed by her arm. When the rosy cheek touched hers upon the pillow, she asked ...

   1894, Marion Harland, The Royal Road, Or, Taking Him at His Word, page 136

   Of when I was a baby editor. Very baby, it was actually a kind of work experience, I was still at university but I knew what I wanted. With a small independent publisher, good reputation, did some marvellous books, […]

   2006, Marion Halligan, The Apricot Colonel, Allen & Unwin, →ISBN

   […] party for Halloween proper? Just the four of us and some goofy, spooky kids' movies, you know? Some cute pumpkin-shaped cupcakes? I could make my dog a little costume. He could be a baby witch. The babyest Scapegracer.” I blinked.

   2020, Hannah Abigail Clarke, The Scapegracers, Erewhon, →ISBN, page 391

3. Like or pertaining to a baby, in size or youth; small, young.

   Spider. Here let us begin at the beginning, at the babyest of books for Edith's nursery.

   1888, Monthly Packet, page 170

   5 more examples

   She let it drop out of her sleeve, and it was two Chings — the dearest, littlest, babyest, tiny Chings — little balls of fur! And she ran away, and daddy's father picked them up, and put them in his pockets, and brought them home, […]

   1894, Edith E. Cuthell, Two Little Children and Ching, page 107

   Lemon-juice for ink spots: Not many weeks ago the babyest member of our household - perhaps moved by a hereditary tendency toward ink - slinging - divided the contents of an ink bottle impartially between the tiles of the bath-room floor ...

   1908, Marion Harland, Housekeeper's Guide and Family Physician, page 98

   "There's a babier baby than Mike," she said. "But you will see her to-morrow. Aren't we rich? Come in and see Matilda - you won't find her much changed. It's so absurd to see her with all these children."

   1908, Mary Findlater, Jane Helen Findlater, Crossriggs, page 25

   Now, we all believe in national defense, but we also believe in peacetime activity, and my personal idea about aviation is that it is still in its absolute “babyest” type of infancy, that it is nothing even approaching what it will be even 10 years [from now].

   1936, United States. Congress. House. Committee on Military Affairs, To Promote the National Defense by Stengthening the Air Reserve, Hearings ..., on H.R. 4348, 12241, Feb 27, April 22, 1936, page 31

   A doll show held the attention of children at Allen as a special feature during the week. Winners were:[…]baby-est doll, Betty McQueary.

   1937 August 7, “Recreation Activities in City Attain New Peak in Past Week”, in The State Journal, eighty-third year, Lansing, Mich., section “Doll Show at Allen”, page 2, column 7

present singular third person babies · participle present babying · participle past babied · past babied

1. transitiveTo coddle; to pamper somebody like an infant.

   […] though he tried to be gruff and mature, he yielded to her and was glad to be babied.

   1922, Sinclair Lewis, Babbitt, New York, N.Y.: Harcourt, Brace and Company, →OCLC

   1 more example

   Then the man effected measles and stayed off the job for six weeks, babying himself at home, though he lived just round the corner from my half-built house.

   1944, Emily Carr, “Friction”, in The House of All Sorts

2. transitiveTo tend (something) with care; to be overly attentive to (something), fuss over.

   In the past 27 years, "Mr. Mac," as he is known to his 46,000 teammates, has built and babied his McDonnell Co. from nothing into a $1 billion-a-year corporation.

   1967 March 31, “Mr. Mac and His Team”, in Time

   1 more example

   1912, Linda Craig, interviewed by Theresa Forte, "Tree and Twig farm — a treasure chest of heirloom tomatoes," Welland Tribune, 25 May, 2012, https://web.archive.org/web/20171205052150/http://www.wellandtribune.ca/2012/05/23/tree-and-twig-farm--a-treasure-chest-of-heirloom-tomatoes I have grown them for years and although some years are better than others, I have always had loads of tomatoes by not babying them, going easy on the water, and fertilizing with compost in the planting hole.

plural Babys

1. A surname.