Meanings
- derogatorynot comparableobsoleteRoman Catholic (with reference to e.g. Revelation 14–18).First known use 16th–19th c.
[W]e, on our parts, have learned to speak only the primitive language of the law, and not the confused jargon of their Babylonian pulpits.
1790, Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France, Oxford, published 2009, page 29 - figurativelynot comparableCharacteristic of Babylon or its civilization and inhabitants; huge, decadent, indulgent. .First known use 17th c.
The first was in the Babylonian halls of the big hotel, which was the meeting place of the three commercial magnates concerned with arranging for a coal lock-out and denouncing it as a coal strike,
1926, Gilbert Keith Chesterton, “The Ghost of Gideon Wise”, in The Incredulity of Father Brown
plural Babylonians
- An inhabitant of the city of Babylon.
- An astrologer; so called because the Chaldeans were remarkable for the study of astrology.
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectivePertaining to the city of Babylon, or the Babylonian Empire.
Origin
- Ancient GreekΒαβυλώνιος
- LatinBabylōnius“of Babylon, Babylonian”
- EnglishBabylonian
From Latin Babylōnius (“of Babylon, Babylonian”) (from Ancient Greek Βαβυλώνιος (Babulṓnios)) + -an. By surface analysis, Babylon + -ian. Piecewise doublet of Babelian.
More words from Latin, Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan babiloni, babilònic
- babilonipertaining to the city or empire of Babylon
- babilònicpertaining to the city or empire of Babylon
- babiloniperson from the city of Babylon
- babilòniaperson from the city of Babylon
- babiloniperson from the kingdom of Babylonia
- babilòniaperson from the kingdom of Babylonia
- babiloniAkkadian language
Czech babylónský, Babylóňan
- babylónskýpertaining to the city or empire of Babylon
- Babylóňanperson from the city of Babylon
- babylónštinaAkkadian language
Danish babylonisk, babylonsk
- babyloniskpertaining to the city or empire of Babylon
- babylonskpertaining to the city or empire of Babylon
- babylonierperson from the kingdom of Babylonia
- babylonerperson from the kingdom of Babylonia
Dutch Babylonisch
- Babylonischpertaining to the city or empire of Babylon
Finnish babylonialainen, babylonialainen
- babylonialainenpertaining to the city or empire of Babylon
- babylonialainenperson from the city of Babylon
- babylonialainenperson from the kingdom of Babylonia
French babylonien
- babylonienpertaining to the city or empire of Babylon
German babylonisch, Babylonier
- babylonischpertaining to the city or empire of Babylon
- Babylonierperson from the city of Babylon
- Babylonierinperson from the city of Babylon
- Babylonierperson from the kingdom of Babylonia
- Babylonierinperson from the kingdom of Babylonia
- BabylonischAkkadian language
Greek βαβυλωνιακός, Βαβυλώνιος
- βαβυλωνιακός (vavyloniakós)pertaining to the city or empire of Babylon
- Βαβυλώνιος (Vavylónios)person from the city of Babylon
- Βαβυλώνια (Vavylónia)person from the city of Babylon
Hindi बाबिली, बाबिली
- बाबिली (bābilī)pertaining to the city or empire of Babylon
- बाबिली (bābilī)person from the city of Babylon
- बाबिली (bābilī)person from the city of Babylon
- बाबिली (bābilī)person from the kingdom of Babylonia
- बाबिली (bābilī)Akkadian language
Irish Bablónach, Bablónach
- Bablónachpertaining to the city or empire of Babylon
- Bablónachperson from the city of Babylon
- Bablónachperson from the kingdom of Babylonia
- BablóinisAkkadian language
Italian babilonico
- babilonicopertaining to the city or empire of Babylon
Latin Babylonius, babylōnicus
- Babyloniuspertaining to the city or empire of Babylon
- babylōnicuspertaining to the city or empire of Babylon
Latvian Babilonietis, Babiloniete
- Babilonietisperson from the city of Babylon
- Babilonieteperson from the city of Babylon
Norwegian Bokmål babylonsk, babylonisk
- babylonskpertaining to the city or empire of Babylon
- babyloniskpertaining to the city or empire of Babylon
- babylonerperson from the city of Babylon
- babylonierperson from the city of Babylon
- babylonerperson from the kingdom of Babylonia
- babylonierperson from the kingdom of Babylonia
Persian بابلی
- بابلی (bâbeli)person from the city of Babylon
Polish babiloński, babilończyk
- babilońskipertaining to the city or empire of Babylon
- babilończykperson from the city of Babylon
- babilonkaperson from the city of Babylon
- babilończykperson from the kingdom of Babylonia
- babilonkaperson from the kingdom of Babylonia
Portuguese babilónico, babilônico
- babilónicopertaining to the city or empire of Babylon
- babilônicopertaining to the city or empire of Babylon
- babilóniopertaining to the city or empire of Babylon
- babilôniopertaining to the city or empire of Babylon
Russian вавило́нский, вавило́нянин
- вавило́нский (vavilónskij)pertaining to the city or empire of Babylon
- вавило́нянин (vavilónjanin)person from the city of Babylon
- вавило́нянка (vavilónjanka)person from the city of Babylon
- вавило́нянин (vavilónjanin)person from the kingdom of Babylonia
- вавило́нянка (vavilónjanka)person from the kingdom of Babylonia
Spanish babilonio
- babiloniopertaining to the city or empire of Babylon
Swedish babylonisk
- babyloniskpertaining to the city or empire of Babylon
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with Babylonian
Cite this entry
Babylonian. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Babylonian
“Babylonian.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Babylonian. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Babylonian,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Babylonian.
Source: Babylonian on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.