baba

See also: Appendix:Variations of "baba"

Languages (70)

English

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Page categories

English

Etymology

As one of the first utterances many babies are able to say, baba (like mama, papa, and dada) has come to be used in many languages as a term for various family members:

• father: Albanian, Arabic, Western Armenian, Chinese, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Bengali, Greek, Marathi, Mingrelian, Nepali, Persian, Swahili, Turkish, Yoruba, Shona, Zulu
• grandmother: many Slavic languages (such as Bulgarian, Russian, Czech and Polish), Romanian, Yiddish, Japanese
• grandfather: Azerbaijani, Zulu (father, grandfather)
• baby: Afrikaans, Sinhala, Hungarian

These terms often continue to be used by English speakers whose families came from one of these cultures. In some cases, they may become more widely used in localities that have been heavily influenced by an immigrant community. Some senses were extensions of one of these family terms in the original languages ("old woman" from "grandmother", "holy man" from "father"). The "cake" sense comes through French, from Polish baba (“old woman”). The Middle Eastern word baba (as in Ali Baba) is rather a term of endearment, and is ultimately derived from Persian بابا (bābā, “father”) (from Old Persian pāpa; as opposed to the Arabic words أَبُو (ʔabū) and أَب (ʔab); see also Papak), and is linguistically related to the common European word papa and the word pope, having the same Indo-European origin. The Chinese word "baba", meaning father comes from 爸爸.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (variously) /ˈbɑːbɑː/, /ˈbɑːbə/, /ˈbæbə/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɑːbɑː, -ɑːbə, -æbə

Noun

baba (plural babas)

1. A kind of sponge cake soaked in rum-flavoured syrup.
2. (especially among people of East European ancestry) A grandmother.
   • 1993, Karen Dubinsky, Improper Advances: Rape and Heterosexual Conflict in Ontario, 1880-1929, University of Chicago Press:

     My baba, Ksenia Dubinsky, tells me that my education makes her proud.

   • 2001, Brattleboro Remembers, edited by the Brattleboro [Vermont] Historical Society, Arcadia Publishing

     I walked first for my grandmother, and my mother was sorry she had missed my first steps. My Baba was so proud, my mother later told me.

   • 2004, MaryBeth Bond, editor, A Woman's Europe: True Stories:

     As we made eye contact, I slowly began to wonder if she was Baba. I did not know my grandmother though I'd spoken with her several times on the telephone;

3. An old woman, especially a traditional old woman from an eastern European culture.
   • 1914, Russell Sage Foundation, Wage-earning Pittsburgh:

     Only two women, typical "babas" (peasant women) in the house from which I got my quilt and bedcloth, could be coaxed to pose;

   • 1986, Janice Kulyk Keefer, The Paris-Napoli Express:

     Laura hadn't known that anyone's mother could look like that, like the babas you sometimes saw downtown, bandaged in kerchiefs and aprons, sitting toothless in stockinged feet on small verandahs, peeling potatoes or beets or just shaking their heads and grimacing.

   • 2003, Colin Michael Hall, Liz Sharples, editors, Food Tourism Around The World: Development, Management and Markets:

     According to some, new volunteers are becoming more difficult to recruit and there are dark suggestions that 'money is being made on the backs of the babas', the dedicated, but ageing ladies who still spend countless hours of their time preparing foodstuffs for the occasion.

4. (especially among people of Indian or Chinese ancestry) A father.
   • 1849, Edward Bulwer Lytton, The Caxtons:

     The first time I signed my exercise I wrote "Pisistratus Caxton" in my best round-hand. "And dey call your baba a scholar!" said the Doctor, contemptuously.

   • 1998, Mulan (movie)

     "The greatest gift and honor is having you for a daughter. I've missed you so." "I've missed you too, baba."

   • 2002, Bend It Like Beckham (movie)

     Okay. Okay. Fine, baba. Let's just do it before something else goes wrong.

   • 2003, House of Sand and Fog (movie)

     "Do not be disrespectful, son. Look at me." "Baba, were you a Savaki?"

5. (Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism) A holy man, a spiritual leader.
   • 1995, Hugh J.M. Johnston, Tara Singh Bains, The Four Quarters of the Night: The Life-Journey of an Emigrant Sikh:

     While I was in Port Alberni, three babas came to Canada to raise money ...

   • 2004, Andrew Robinson, Satyajit Ray: The Inner Eye: The Biography of a Master Film-Maker:

     But according to Ray, 'all the babas my uncle knew were genuine. None of them was exposed. They were fairly humble people, not show-offs like the Maharishi ...

   • 2006, Suraiya Faroqhi, Subjects Of The Sultan: Culture And Daily Life In The Ottoman Empire:

     Most babas had little contact with written culture and are not therefore named in books and treatises.

6. (British India) A baby, child.
   • 1876, Sir George Otto Trevelyan, The Life and Letters of Lord Macaulay:

     That is to say, if I do not take care, I shall go on calling my darling 'Baba' till she is as old as her mamma, and has a dozen Babas of her own.

   • 1904, Rudyard Kipling, Traffics and Discoveries:

     For my child is dead—my baba is dead!

7. In baby talk, often used for a variety of words beginning with b, such as bottle or blanket.
   • 2004, House (TV, episode 1.14)

     Oh, it's storytime! Let me get my baba.

Related terms

• baba au rhum
• rhumbaba, rum baba
• baba ganoush
• babushka

Translations

flavoured sponge cake

• Catalan: babà m
• Finnish: baba (fi)
• Greek: μπαμπάς (el) m (bampás)
• Italian: babà (it) m
• Polish: baba (pl) f

holy man, spiritual leader

• Bengali: বাবা (bn) (baba)
• Finnish: isä (fi)
• Kazakh: баба (kk) (baba)
• Marathi: बाबा m (bābā)
• Odia: ବାବା (or) (bābā)
• Polish: baba (pl) m
• Telugu: బాబా (te) (bābā)
• Turkish: baba (tr), peder (tr), pederler pl, babalar (tr) pl, peder (tr)

Further reading

• baba on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• ABBA, AABB, Abba, abba

Afrikaans

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

baba (plural babas)

1. baby

Related terms

• babetjie

Verb

baba (present baba, present participle babaende, past participle gebaba)

1. to treat with gentle care, to coddle

Albanian

Etymology 1

From Ottoman Turkish بابا (baba), whence Turkish baba.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /baˈba/

Noun

babá m (plural baballárë, definite babái)

1. dad, father

   Synonyms: bábë, átë

Derived terms

• Baba Dimri

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbaba/

Noun

bába

1. inflection of bábë:
   1. definite nominative singular
   2. indefinite nominative/accusative plural

Atong (India)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /baba/

Noun

baba (Bengali script বাবা)

1. father
2. paternal uncle
3. son

Synonyms

(father):

• awa
• wa•

References

• van Breugel, Seino. 2015. Atong-English dictionary, second edition. Available online: https://www.academia.edu/487044/Atong_English_Dictionary.

Azerbaijani

Other scripts

Cyrillic		баба
Abjad		بابا

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [bɑˈbɑ]
• Hyphenation: ba‧ba

• Audio (Baku):

  (file)

Noun

baba (definite accusative babanı, plural babalar)

1. grandfather

   Coordinate term: nənə

2. term of address for old men

Declension

Declension of baba
	singular	plural
nominative	baba	babalar
definite accusative	babanı	babaları
dative	babaya	babalara
locative	babada	babalarda
ablative	babadan	babalardan
definite genitive	babanın	babaların

Possessive forms of baba
	nominative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	babam	babalarım
sənin (“your”)	baban	babaların
onun (“his/her/its”)	babası	babaları
bizim (“our”)	babamız	babalarımız
sizin (“your”)	babanız	babalarınız
onların (“their”)	babası or babaları	babaları
	accusative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	babamı	babalarımı
sənin (“your”)	babanı	babalarını
onun (“his/her/its”)	babasını	babalarını
bizim (“our”)	babamızı	babalarımızı
sizin (“your”)	babanızı	babalarınızı
onların (“their”)	babasını or babalarını	babalarını
	dative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	babama	babalarıma
sənin (“your”)	babana	babalarına
onun (“his/her/its”)	babasına	babalarına
bizim (“our”)	babamıza	babalarımıza
sizin (“your”)	babanıza	babalarınıza
onların (“their”)	babasına or babalarına	babalarına
	locative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	babamda	babalarımda
sənin (“your”)	babanda	babalarında
onun (“his/her/its”)	babasında	babalarında
bizim (“our”)	babamızda	babalarımızda
sizin (“your”)	babanızda	babalarınızda
onların (“their”)	babasında or babalarında	babalarında
	ablative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	babamdan	babalarımdan
sənin (“your”)	babandan	babalarından
onun (“his/her/its”)	babasından	babalarından
bizim (“our”)	babamızdan	babalarımızdan
sizin (“your”)	babanızdan	babalarınızdan
onların (“their”)	babasından or babalarından	babalarından
	genitive
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	babamın	babalarımın
sənin (“your”)	babanın	babalarının
onun (“his/her/its”)	babasının	babalarının
bizim (“our”)	babamızın	babalarımızın
sizin (“your”)	babanızın	babalarınızın
onların (“their”)	babasının or babalarının	babalarının

Basque

Etymology

From Proto-Basque, ultimately from Latin faba.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /baba/, [ba.β̞a]

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

baba inan

1. broad bean
2. bean, green bean

   Synonym: babarrun

3. blister

Declension

Declension of baba (inanimate, ending in -a)

	indefinite	singular	plural
absolutive	baba	baba	babak
ergative	babak	babak	babek
dative	babari	babari	babei
genitive	babaren	babaren	baben
comitative	babarekin	babarekin	babekin
causative	babarengatik	babarengatik	babengatik
benefactive	babarentzat	babarentzat	babentzat
instrumental	babaz	babaz	babez
inessive	babatan	baban	babetan
locative	babatako	babako	babetako
allative	babatara	babara	babetara
terminative	babataraino	babaraino	babetaraino
directive	babatarantz	babarantz	babetarantz
destinative	babatarako	babarako	babetarako
ablative	babatatik	babatik	babetatik
partitive	babarik	—	—
prolative	babatzat	—	—

Derived terms

Derived terms

• baba beltz
• baba gorri
• baba handi
• baba zuri
• babak eltzetik atera
• babalarrutu
• babalasto
• babaolore
• babarrun
• babatsu
• babatu
• babazorro

Further reading

• “baba”, in Euskaltzaindiaren Hiztegia [Dictionary of the Basque Academy], Euskaltzaindia
• “baba”, in Orotariko Euskal Hiztegia [General Basque Dictionary], Euskaltzaindia, 1987–2005

Bikol Central

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *babaq, from Proto-Austronesian *babaq.

Pronunciation 1

• Hyphenation: ba‧ba
• IPA^(key): /baˈbaʔ/ [baˈbaʔ]

Adjective

babâ (Basahan spelling ᜊᜊ)

1. downstairs

   Antonym: taas

Noun

babâ (Basahan spelling ᜊᜊ)

1. shortness, lowness (based on height)

   Antonym: langkaw

2. (dialectal) bottom; below

   Antonym: babaw

3. descent

   Synonym: palos

4. disembarkment

   Synonym: lusad

5. act of going downstairs

   Synonym: hilig

6. decrease; lowering of quantity or measurement

   Synonym: ina

Derived terms

• hababa
• ibaba
• kababan
• magbaba

 

Pronunciation 2

• Hyphenation: ba‧ba
• IPA^(key): /ˈbabaʔ/ [ˈba.baʔ]

Noun

babà (Basahan spelling ᜊᜊ)

1. (anatomy) chin

   Synonym: kuko

Etymology 2

From padaba (“loved one, term of endearment”).

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: ba‧ba
• IPA^(key): /ˈbabaʔ/ [ˈba.baʔ]

Noun

babà (Basahan spelling ᜊᜊ)

1. (Tabaco–Legazpi–Sorsogon, slang) loved one

Cebuano

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *baqbaq.

First attested in Antonio Pigafetta's Relazione del primo viaggio intorno al mondo—detailing the first circumnavigation of the world between 1519 and 1522.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbaʔba/ [ˈbaʔ.bɐ]
• Rhymes: -aʔ
• Hyphenation: ba‧ba

Noun

bâbâ (Badlit spelling ᜊᜊ)

1. (anatomy) mouth
2. mouth of a river
3. outlet; aperture; orifice
4. talk; empty boasting, promises or claims

Verb

bâbâ (Badlit spelling ᜊᜊ)

1. to hit, be hit or injured in the mouth

Derived terms

• baba sa atay
• babaan
• babaon
• sa baba sa buaya

 

Etymology 2

Compare abaga.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /baˈba/ [bɐˈba]
• Rhymes: -a
• Hyphenation: ba‧ba

Verb

babá (Badlit spelling ᜊᜊ)

1. to piggyback; to carry someone on the back

Quotations

• For quotations using this term, see Citations:baba.

Crimean Tatar

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: ba‧ba

Noun

baba

1. father
2. dad

Declension

Declension of baba

	singular	plural
nominative	baba	babalar
genitive	babanıñ	babalarnıñ
dative	babağa	babalarğa
accusative	babanı	babalarnı
locative	babada	babalarda
ablative	babadan	babalardan

Derived terms

• babaca
• babacasına
• babalıq
• babasız
• babasızlıq

 

References

• “baba”, in Luğatçıq (in Russian)

Czech

Alternative forms

• bába

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *baba.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈbaba]
• Rhymes: -aba

Noun

baba f

1. crone, hag
2. coward, milksop

   Synonym: zbabělec

3. (informal) girl, chick

Declension

Declension of baba (hard feminine)

	singular	plural
nominative	baba	baby
genitive	baby	bab
dative	babě	babám
accusative	babu	baby
vocative	babo	baby
locative	babě	babách
instrumental	babou	babami

Related terms

• babička
• babizna
• babí
• babka
• bába
• bábi

 

Further reading

• “baba”, in Kartotéka Novočeského lexikálního archivu (in Czech)
• “baba” in Akademický slovník současné češtiny, 2012–2024, slovnikcestiny.cz
• “baba”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech)

Dagbani

Etymology

Unknown.

Noun

baba (plural babanima)

1. Title of the second chief butcher

Noun

baba

1. plural of babli (a featherless fowl)

Noun

baba

1. Father

Ewe

Noun

baba

1. termite, white ant

Fanagalo

Etymology

From Zulu ubaba, from Proto-Bantu *bààbá.

Noun

baba

1. father

Finnish

Etymology

From Polish baba, probably via French.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɑbɑ/, [ˈbɑ̝bɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -ɑbɑ
• Syllabification^(key): ba‧ba

Noun

baba

1. baba, babka (type of cake)

Declension

Inflection of baba (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)
nominative		baba	babat
genitive		baban	babojen
partitive		babaa	baboja
illative		babaan	baboihin
		singular	plural
nominative		baba	babat
accusative	nom.	baba	babat
	gen.	baban
genitive		baban	babojen babain rare
partitive		babaa	baboja
inessive		babassa	baboissa
elative		babasta	baboista
illative		babaan	baboihin
adessive		baballa	baboilla
ablative		babalta	baboilta
allative		baballe	baboille
essive		babana	baboina
translative		babaksi	baboiksi
abessive		babatta	baboitta
instructive		—	baboin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of baba (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative babani babani accusative nom. babani babani gen. babani genitive babani babojeni babaini rare partitive babaani babojani inessive babassani baboissani elative babastani baboistani illative babaani baboihini adessive baballani baboillani ablative babaltani baboiltani allative baballeni baboilleni essive babanani baboinani translative babakseni baboikseni abessive babattani baboittani instructive — — comitative — baboineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative babasi babasi accusative nom. babasi babasi gen. babasi genitive babasi babojesi babaisi rare partitive babaasi babojasi inessive babassasi baboissasi elative babastasi baboistasi illative babaasi baboihisi adessive baballasi baboillasi ablative babaltasi baboiltasi allative baballesi baboillesi essive babanasi baboinasi translative babaksesi baboiksesi abessive babattasi baboittasi instructive — — comitative — baboinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative babamme babamme accusative nom. babamme babamme gen. babamme genitive babamme babojemme babaimme rare partitive babaamme babojamme inessive babassamme baboissamme elative babastamme baboistamme illative babaamme baboihimme adessive baballamme baboillamme ablative babaltamme baboiltamme allative baballemme baboillemme essive babanamme baboinamme translative babaksemme baboiksemme abessive babattamme baboittamme instructive — — comitative — baboinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative babanne babanne accusative nom. babanne babanne gen. babanne genitive babanne babojenne babainne rare partitive babaanne babojanne inessive babassanne baboissanne elative babastanne baboistanne illative babaanne baboihinne adessive baballanne baboillanne ablative babaltanne baboiltanne allative baballenne baboillenne essive babananne baboinanne translative babaksenne baboiksenne abessive babattanne baboittanne instructive — — comitative — baboinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative babansa babansa accusative nom. babansa babansa gen. babansa genitive babansa babojensa babainsa rare partitive babaansa babojaan babojansa inessive babassaan babassansa baboissaan baboissansa elative babastaan babastansa baboistaan baboistansa illative babaansa baboihinsa adessive baballaan baballansa baboillaan baboillansa ablative babaltaan babaltansa baboiltaan baboiltansa allative baballeen baballensa baboilleen baboillensa essive babanaan babanansa baboinaan baboinansa translative babakseen babaksensa baboikseen baboiksensa abessive babattaan babattansa baboittaan baboittansa instructive — — comitative — baboineen baboinensa

Further reading

• “baba”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[1] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-02

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ba.ba/

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Polish baba, introduced in France in the eighteenth century at the court of Stanisław Leszczyński, king of Poland, duke of Lorraine and father-in-law of Louis XV.

a french rum baba

Noun

baba m (plural babas)

1. baba (type of cake)

   baba au rhum ― rum baba

Etymology 2

Onomatopoeic.

Adjective

baba (plural babas)

1. (colloquial) flabbergasted
   • 1999, Anna Gavalda, “Ambre”, in Je voudrais que quelqu'un m'attende quelque part, →ISBN:

     C’était un Argentin qui mesurait au moins deux mètres, il souriait tout les temps. J’étais baba devant ses tatouages.

     He was an Argentinian who was at least six foot six. He was always smiling. I was stunned by his tattoos.

Further reading

• “baba”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Galician

Etymology 1

Attested since the 18th century. From the hypothesized Vulgar Latin *baba, ultimately imitative of children speech on the pattern of the repeated syllable ba.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈbaβɐ]

Noun

baba f (plural babas)

1. drool

   Synonym: baballa

2. slime (mucus-like substance which exudes from the bodies of certain animals)

   Synonyms: baballa, limo

Derived terms

• baballa
• babar
• babexar

References

• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, editor (2006–2013), “baba”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, editors (2003–2018), “baba”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Rosario Álvarez Blanco, editor (2014–2024), “baba”, in Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega, →ISSN

Etymology 2

Verb

baba

1. inflection of babar:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative

Garo

Etymology

Likely from Bengali বাবা (baba).

Noun

baba

1. father

Synonyms

• paa
• pagipa
• apa

German

Etymology 1

A link of the term with the English bye-bye is possible but not certain.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /baˈbaː/, (Austria) [b̥aˈb̥aː]
• Rhymes: -aː

Interjection

baba

1. (informal, Austria) bye-bye, see you, so long

Usage notes

• Especially in East Austria, baba is the most commonly used informal term for saying "goodbye".

Further reading

• “baba” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “baba (Abschiedsgruß)” in Duden online

Etymology 2

From Turkish baba.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbaba/

Adjective

baba (indeclinable, predicative only)

1. (slang) boss, rad, fly

   Synonyms: Bombe, geisteskrank

   Diese Jacke sieht richtig baba aus.

   This jacket looks bare nang.

   Ich finde den Schnitt baba.

   I deem the fit thrilling.

Hausa

Etymology 1

A widespread areal word.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bàː.bá/
  • (Standard Kano Hausa) IPA^(key): [bàː.bə́]

Noun

bā̀ba m (possessed form bā̀ban)

1. father
2. Used as a term of address for a man of appropriate age to be one's father, or who shares one's father's name.

Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bàː.báː/
  • (Standard Kano Hausa) IPA^(key): [bàː.báː]

Noun

bā̀bā m (plural bā̀bànni, possessed form bā̀ban)

1. eunuch
2. impotent man

Etymology 3

Probably an early borrowing from Kanuri báwà (“paternal aunt”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /báː.bà/
  • (Standard Kano Hausa) IPA^(key): [báː.bə̀]

Noun

bābà f (possessed form bābàr̃)

1. paternal aunt

References

• Hausa vocabulary. In: Haspelmath, M. & Tadmor, U. (eds.) World Loanword Database. Leipzig: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.

Etymology 4

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /báː.báː/
  • (Standard Kano Hausa) IPA^(key): [báː.báː]

Noun

bābā m (possessed form bāban)

1. indigo (the plant, or the dye from it)

Higaonon

Noun

baba

1. mouth

Hiligaynon

Noun

bába or bâbâ

1. mouth

Hungarian

Etymology

Onomatopoeic. It may be a doublet of báb.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈbɒbɒ]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ba‧ba
• Rhymes: -bɒ

Noun

baba (plural babák)

1. doll (toy in the form of a human)
2. baby, infant (very young human child, particularly from birth until walking is mastered)

   Synonyms: csecsemő, kisbaba, bébi

3. (in the possessive, folk songs) baby, darling (term of endearment for a girlfriend, or less often, a boyfriend)

   Synonyms: kedves, (also in the possessive) pár

Declension

Inflection (stem in long/high vowel, back harmony)
	singular	plural
nominative	baba	babák
accusative	babát	babákat
dative	babának	babáknak
instrumental	babával	babákkal
causal-final	babáért	babákért
translative	babává	babákká
terminative	babáig	babákig
essive-formal	babaként	babákként
essive-modal	—	—
inessive	babában	babákban
superessive	babán	babákon
adessive	babánál	babáknál
illative	babába	babákba
sublative	babára	babákra
allative	babához	babákhoz
elative	babából	babákból
delative	babáról	babákról
ablative	babától	babáktól
non-attributive possessive - singular	babáé	babáké
non-attributive possessive - plural	babáéi	babákéi

Possessive forms of baba
possessor	single possession	multiple possessions
1st person sing.	babám	babáim
2nd person sing.	babád	babáid
3rd person sing.	babája	babái
1st person plural	babánk	babáink
2nd person plural	babátok	babáitok
3rd person plural	babájuk	babáik

Derived terms

• babázik

 

Compound words with this term at the beginning

• babaarc
• bababútor
• babacipő
• babacsörgő
• babafej
• babahajtű
• babaház
• babakelengye
• babaklinika
• babakocsi
• babamérleg
• babapiskóta
• babarózsa
• babaruha
• babaszappan
• babaszoba

Compound words with this term at the end

• alvóbaba
• autóbaba
• cicababa
• csinibaba
• fababa
• földbaba
• gülbaba
• kabalababa
• karakterbaba
• kaucsukbaba
• kirakatbaba
• kisbaba
• lencsibaba
• öltöztetőbaba
• próbababa
• rongybaba

Expressions

• játék baba

 

Adjective

baba (comparative babább, superlative legbabább)

1. (slang) swell, neat (exceptionally good, pleasing or enjoyable)

Declension

Inflection (stem in long/high vowel, back harmony)
	singular	plural
nominative	baba	babák
accusative	babát	babákat
dative	babának	babáknak
instrumental	babával	babákkal
causal-final	babáért	babákért
translative	babává	babákká
terminative	babáig	babákig
essive-formal	babaként	babákként
essive-modal	—	—
inessive	babában	babákban
superessive	babán	babákon
adessive	babánál	babáknál
illative	babába	babákba
sublative	babára	babákra
allative	babához	babákhoz
elative	babából	babákból
delative	babáról	babákról
ablative	babától	babáktól
non-attributive possessive - singular	babáé	babáké
non-attributive possessive - plural	babáéi	babákéi

Further reading

• baba in Bárczi, Géza and László Országh. A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára (“The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language”, abbr.: ÉrtSz.). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN
• baba in Nóra Ittzés, editor, A magyar nyelv nagyszótára [A Comprehensive Dictionary of the Hungarian Language] (Nszt.), Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 2006–2031 (work in progress; published a–ez as of 2024).

Ilocano

Etymology

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *babaq.

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: ba‧ba
• IPA^(key): /baˈba/, [bɐˈba]

Adverb

baba

1. below

   Adda idiay baba

   It's down there.

Derived terms

• bumaba
• ibaba

 

Indonesian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈba.ba/
• Rhymes: -ba, -a
• Hyphenation: ba‧ba

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Betawi [Term?].

Noun

baba (plural baba-baba, first-person possessive babaku, second-person possessive babamu, third-person possessive babanya)

1. father

Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

baba (plural baba-baba, first-person possessive babaku, second-person possessive babamu, third-person possessive babanya)

1. (nautical) rat

Etymology 3

Cognate of Cebuano babá (“to piggyback”).

Verb

baba

1. to piggyback: to carry someone on the back

Further reading

• “baba” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.

Japanese

Romanization

baba

1. Rōmaji transcription of ばば

Kabyle

Noun

baba m

1. father

Kashubian

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *baba.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈba.ba/
• Rhymes: -aba
• Syllabification: ba‧ba

Noun

baba f

1. (colloquial, derogatory) woman, wife
2. (humorous) Synonym of akùszerka (“accoucheuse, midwife”)

Declension

Declension of baba

	singular	plural
nominative	baba	babë
genitive	babë	babów/bôb
dative	babie	babóm
accusative	babã	babë
instrumental	babą	babama
locative	babie	babach
vocative	babò	babë

Further reading

• Stefan Ramułt (1893) “baba”, in Słownik języka pomorskiego czyli kaszubskiego (in Kashubian), page 4
• Sychta, Bernard (1967) “baba”, in Słownik gwar kaszubskich [Dictionary of Kashubian dialects] (in Polish), volumes 1 (A – Ǵ), Wrocław: Ossolineum, page 9
• Jan Trepczyk (1994) “baba”, in Słownik polsko-kaszubski (in Kashubian), volumes 1–2
• Eùgeniusz Gòłąbk (2011) “baba”, in Słownik Polsko-Kaszubski / Słowôrz Pòlskò-Kaszëbsczi‎^[2]
• “baba”, in Internetowi Słowôrz Kaszëbsczégò Jãzëka [Internet Dictionary of the Kashubian Language], Fundacja Kaszuby, 2022

Kikuyu

Alternative forms

• baaba

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /βàːβǎꜜ/

The first a is pronounced long.

As for Tonal Class, Benson (1964) classifies this term into Class 6 with a disyllabic stem, together with mũgwacĩ, nyamũ, and so on.

• (Kiambu)

• (Limuru) As for Tonal Class, Yukawa (1981) classifies this term into a group including guka, gũtũ, mũguĩ, mũtwe, nyamũ, ruo, rũhĩ (pl. hĩ), rũkũ (pl. ngũ), taata (“my aunt”), ũta (pl. mota), ũthiũ (pl. mothiũ), and so on.

• (Ndia) The same underlying pattern as that of rũhĩ and mothiũ.
• (Nyeri) The same underlying pattern as that of mothiũ and ruo.

Noun

baba class 1

1. my father, dad

See also

• (thy) thoguo; (his/her) ithe

Latgalian

Etymology

Borrowed from a Slavic language, from Proto-Slavic *baba. Doublet of buoba.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈbaba]
• Hyphenation: ba‧ba

Noun

baba f (diminutive babeņa)

1. grandmother

Declension

Declension of baba (type 4 noun)

	singular	plural
nominative	baba	babys, babas1)
genitive	babys, babas1)	babu
dative	babai	babom
accusative	babu	babys, babas1)
instrumental	babu	babom
locative	babā	babuos
vocative	baba, bab	babys, babas1)
1) dialectal

Synonyms

• (dialectal) vace

Coordinate terms

• dzeds (“grandfather”)

References

• A. Andronov, L. Leikuma (2008) Latgalīšu-Latvīšu-Krīvu sarunu vuordineica, Lvava, →ISBN, page 10

Lower Sorbian

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *baba.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbaba/

Noun

baba f (diminutive babka)

1. midwife
2. old woman
3. woman

Declension

Declension of baba

	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	baba	babje	baby
Genitive	baby	babowu	babow
Dative	babje	baboma	babam
Accusative	babu	babje	baby
Instrumental	babu	baboma	babami
Locative	babje	baboma	babach

Noun

baba f (diminutive babka)

1. sponge cake

Declension

Declension of baba

	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	baba	babje	baby
Genitive	baby	babowu	babow
Dative	babje	baboma	babam
Accusative	babu	babje	baby
Instrumental	babu	baboma	babami
Locative	babje	baboma	babach

Further reading

• Muka, Arnošt (1921, 1928) “baba”, in Słownik dolnoserbskeje rěcy a jeje narěcow (in German), St. Petersburg, Prague: ОРЯС РАН, ČAVU; Reprinted Bautzen: Domowina-Verlag, 2008
• Starosta, Manfred (1999) “baba”, in Dolnoserbsko-nimski słownik / Niedersorbisch-deutsches Wörterbuch (in German), Bautzen: Domowina-Verlag

Luo

Noun

baba

1. father

Malay

Pronunciation

• (Johor-Selangor) IPA^(key): /babə/
• (Riau-Lingga) IPA^(key): /baba/
• Rhymes: -abə, -bə, -ə

Etymology 1

Voiced bapa.

Noun

baba (Jawi spelling باب, plural baba-baba, informal 1st possessive babaku, 2nd possessive babamu, 3rd possessive babanya)

1. father (male parent)

Synonyms

• bapa (bapanda, bapai, bapak, bapang, papa)
• ayah (ayahanda, aya, yah)
• abah (aba, bah)
• rama

Etymology 2

Possibly borrowed from Persian بابا (bâbâ). See Baba (honorific).

Alternative forms

• babah

Noun

baba (Jawi spelling باب, plural baba-baba, informal 1st possessive babaku, 2nd possessive babamu, 3rd possessive babanya)

1. A colonial Straits-born European, Eurasian, or Chinese man (as opposed to immigrant Chinese or European males)
2. (archaic) Respectful term of address for a Portuguese gentleman

See also

• Baba

Further reading

• “baba” in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu | Malay Literary Reference Centre, Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017.
• Wilkinson, Richard James (1901) “باب baba”, in A Malay-English dictionary, Hong Kong: Kelly & Walsh limited, pages 72-73
• Wilkinson, Richard James (1932) “baba”, in A Malay-English dictionary (romanised), volume II, Mytilene, Greece: Salavopoulos & Kinderlis, page 59

Mansaka

Etymology 1

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *babaq.

Adverb

baba

1. below

Etymology 2

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *baqbaq.

Noun

baba

1. mouth

Etymology 3

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *baba, compare Malay bawa.

Verb

baba

1. to carry

Marshallese

Pronunciation

• (phonetic) IPA^(key): [pˠɑːbˠɑ], (enunciated) [pˠɑ pˠɑ]
• (phonemic) IPA^(key): /pˠæɰpˠæɰ/
• Bender phonemes: {bahbah}

Noun

baba

1. father
2. daddy

References

• Marshallese–English Online Dictionary

Matal

Noun

baba

1. father

   La katskats tasàk à kəslah iyaw aŋatà à ahəŋ la baba aŋatà gà, tanəfà Yesu. (Mata 4:22)

   And immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Jesus. (Matthew 4:22)

Mwani

Alternative forms

• wawa

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *bààbá.

Noun

baba class 1a (plural wababa)

1. father

Naga Pidgin

Etymology

From Assamese বাবা (baba, “father”), Inherited from Ashokan Prakrit *𑀩𑀸𑀩𑁆𑀩 (*bābba).

Noun

baba (plural babakhan)

1. father, dad

   Synonym: bap

Nefamese

Etymology

From Assamese বাবা (baba, “father”), from Ashokan Prakrit *𑀩𑀸𑀩𑁆𑀩 (*bābba).

Noun

baba

1. father, dad

Ngarluma

Noun

baba

1. water
2. rain, rainwater

References

• Aboriginal Languages of the Pilbara: Ngarluma (1990); HG

Nkonya

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /babaʔ/

Noun

baba (plural ababa)

1. termite

Old Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (13^th CE) /ˈbaba/
• IPA^(key): (15^th CE) /ˈbaba/

Noun

baba f

1. Alternative form of bába

Declension

Declension of baba (hard a-stem)

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	baba	babě	baby
genitive	baby	babú	bab
dative	babě	babama	babám
accusative	babu	babě	baby
vocative	babo	babě	baby
locative	babě	babú	babách
instrumental	babú	babama	babami

This table shows the most common forms around the 13th century.
See also Appendix:Old Czech nouns and Appendix:Old Czech pronunciation.

Further reading

• Jan Gebauer (1903–1916) “baba”, in Slovník staročeský (in Czech), Prague: Česká grafická společnost "unie", Česká akademie císaře Františka Josefa pro vědy, slovesnost a umění

Old Polish

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *baba. First attested in 1393.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (10^th–15^th CE) /baba/
• IPA^(key): (15^th CE) /baba/

Noun

baba f (diminutive babka)

1. (attested in Greater Poland) grandma (parent's mother)

   Synonym: babina

   • 1888 [1393], Romuald Hube, editor, Zbiór rot przysiąg sądowych poznańskich, kościańskich, kaliskich, sieradzkich, piotrkowskich i dobrzyszyckich z końca wieku XIV i pierwszych lat wieku XV‎^[3], Greater Poland, page 67:

     Meczko bliszszi po swe babe ku te dzedzine

     [Miec(z)ko bliższy po swe babie ku te dziedzinie]

2. The meaning of this term is uncertain.
   • 1868 [1472], Akta grodzkie i ziemskie z czasów Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej : z archiwum tak zwanego bernardyńskiego we Lwowie w skutek fundacyi śp. Alexandra hr. Stadnickiego‎^[4], volume XII, page 347:

     Que sibi cessit post matrem suam al. po babye

     [Que sibi cessit post matrem suam al. po babie]

3. (attested in Greater Poland) grandma (any old woman)
   • 1930 [c. 1455], “Gen”, in Ludwik Bernacki, editor, Biblia królowej Zofii (Biblia szaroszpatacka)‎^[5], 18, 13:

     Dopyoro bødø rodzycz, yusz bødøczi babø (num vere paritura sum anus)?

     [Dopioro będę rodzić już będęcy babą (num vere paritura sum anus)?]

   • c. 1500, Wokabularz lubiński, Lubiń: inkunabuł Archiwum Archidiecezjalnego w Gnieźnie, sygn. Inc. 78d., page 11r:

     Anus eyn weyp vel culus; versus: dum se curuat anus bąba, retro sibi sibilat anus - posterior pars alterius rzycz

     [Anus eyn weyp vel culus; versus: dum se curuat anus baba, retro sibi sibilat anus - posterior pars alterius rzyć]

4. (attested in Greater Poland) woman
   • 1907 [c. 1470], Jakub Parkoszowic, edited by Jan Łoś, Traktat o ortografii polskiej‎^[6], Żurawica, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, Krakow, page 404:

     Babø bik bodze

     [Babę byk bodzie]

   • 1895 [1412], Archiwum Komisji Prawniczej. Collectanea ex Archivo Collegii Iuridici‎^[7], volume X, page 347:

     Baba stara

     [Baba stara]

5. midwife
   • Middle of the 15th century, Rozmyślanie o żywocie Pana Jezusa‎^[8], page 63:

     Jozef... wyszedł barzo rącze, chcąc wezwać... baby albo panie (obstetrices cupiens vocare)

     [Jozef... wyszedł barzo rącze, chcąc wezwać... baby albo panie (obstetrices cupiens vocare)]

6. pear (Pyrus communis)
   • 1900 [1472], Józef Rostafiński, editor, Symbola ad historiam naturalem medii aevi = Średniowieczna historya naturalna w Polsce. Ps 2‎^[9], number 206:

     Baba pira

     [Baba pira]

7. (attested in Sieradz-Łęczyca) (in the plural, astronomy) Pleiades
   • 1874-1891 [1466], Rozprawy i Sprawozdania z Posiedzeń Wydziału Filologicznego Akademii Umiejętności‎^{[10], [11], [12]}, volume XXII, Łęczyca, page 22:

     Baby pliades

     [Baby pliades]

8. Corruption of the proper noun Bala.
   • 1930 [c. 1455], “Gen”, in Ludwik Bernacki, editor, Biblia królowej Zofii (Biblia szaroszpatacka)‎^[13], 35, 22:

     Spal z zonø otcza swego, ktoreyze to Baba rzekla (dormivit cum Bala)

     [Spał z żoną otca swego, ktorejże to Baba rzeczono (dormivit cum Bala)]

Derived terms

adjectives

• babczany
• babin

 

nouns

• babczyzna
• babica
• babimór
• babina
• babizna
• babka
• wieszcza baba

 

Descendants

• Polish: baba
• Silesian: baba

References

• Boryś, Wiesław (2005) “baba”, in Słownik etymologiczny języka polskiego (in Polish), Kraków: Wydawnictwo Literackie, →ISBN
• Mańczak, Witold (2017) “baba”, in Polski słownik etymologiczny (in Polish), Kraków: Polska Akademia Umiejętności, →ISBN
• Bańkowski, Andrzej (2000) “baba”, in Etymologiczny słownik języka polskiego [Etymological Dictionary of the Polish Language] (in Polish)
• Sławski, Franciszek (1958-1965) “baba”, in Jan Safarewicz, Andrzej Siudut, editors, Słownik etymologiczny języka polskiego [Etymological dictionary of the Polish language] (in Polish), Kraków: Towarzystwo Miłośników Języka Polskiego
• B. Sieradzka-Baziur, Ewa Deptuchowa, Joanna Duska, Mariusz Frodyma, Beata Hejmo, Dorota Janeczko, Katarzyna Jasińska, Krystyna Kajtoch, Joanna Kozioł, Marian Kucała, Dorota Mika, Gabriela Niemiec, Urszula Poprawska, Elżbieta Supranowicz, Ludwika Szelachowska-Winiarzowa, Zofia Wanicowa, Piotr Szpor, Bartłomiej Borek, editors (2011–2015), “baba”, in Słownik pojęciowy języka staropolskiego [Conceptual Dictionary of Old Polish] (in Polish), Kraków: IJP PAN, →ISBN
• Ewa Deptuchowa, Mariusz Frodyma, Katarzyna Jasińska, Magdalena Klapper, Dorota Kołodziej, Mariusz Leńczuk, Ludwika Szelachowska-Winiarzowa, Zofia Wanicowa, editors (2023), “baba”, in Rozariusze z polskimi glosami. Internetowa baza danych [Dictionaries of Polish glosses, an Internet database] (in Polish), Kraków: Pracownia Języka Staropolskiego Instytut Języka Polskiego Polskiej Akademii Nauk

Peranakan Indonesian

Etymology

Borrowed from Betawi [Term?].

Noun

baba

1. greetings for Chinese people (male)

Phuthi

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-bába.

Verb

-baba

1. to taste bitter

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Polish

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /ˈba.ba/

• (Middle Polish) IPA^(key): /ˈba.ba/
• (Masovia):
  • (Far Masovian) IPA^(key): /ˈba.ba/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aba
• Syllabification: ba‧ba

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old Polish baba.

Noun

baba f (diminutive babka or babcia, augmentative babsko or babisko)

1. (colloquial, somewhat derogatory) woman, crone, hag (female person)
2. (colloquial or dialectal, Far Masovian) wife, girlfriend (female romantic partner)
3. village woman (woman from the village)

   Synonyms: chłopka, wieśniaczka

4. (childish) grandmother

   Synonyms: babcia, babka, babunia

5. village seller (woman who sells things from the village)
6. (derogatory) pansy, big girl's blouse (male of weak or cowardly character)
7. babka (type of cake)

   Synonym: babka

8. (engineering) ram (hydraulic hammer)
9. (obsolete) witch; spellcaster
10. (obsolete) female beggar (woman who begs)

    Coordinate term: dziad

11. (obsolete) midwife

    Synonyms: akuszerka, położna

12. (obsolete, dialectal, agriculture) large sheaf of strangely decorated grain tied at the end of a harvest
13. (obsolete, dialectal, spinning) thick, round part attached to a screw next to a stool of a spinning wheel (Is there an English equivalent to this definition?)
14. (obsolete, dialectal) bunch of rags placed on a stick to block the lower outlet of a chimney above a fireplace
15. (obsolete, timber rafting) wooden block carved in the shape of a human head given to new rafters to kiss by rafters who are helping the new rafters with the rafting for the first time
16. (obsolete, fishing) narrow barrel with a pole through it, used for winding a seine line while fishing (Is there an English equivalent to this definition?)
17. (obsolete, sports) starting peg (peg that starts a game of croquet)
18. (obsolete, engineering) oak block with a handle used for tamping when laying stones, spreading gravel on road surfaces, etc. (Is there an English equivalent to this definition?)
19. (obsolete, art) leather pillow for applying paint in manual printing of canvases
20. (obsolete) female hireling; female worker
21. (obsolete) female pimp

    Synonym: stręczycielka

22. (obsolete) snowwoman

    Synonym: bałwanica

23. (obsolete) bogie (booger)

    Synonym: babok

24. (obsolete) bundle of hay used as a blockade for dangerous passages
25. (obsolete) rag on a stick or pole for sweeping
26. (obsolete) wooden mold for ironing clothes
27. (obsolete, sailing) boathook
28. (obsolete, sailing) knot on a mast twist that raftsmen can't undo
29. (obsolete, hunting) Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius)

    Synonym: sójka

30. (obsolete) type of wild duck
31. (obsolete, university slang, games) leather ball
32. (obsolete) pelican (seabird of the family Pelecanidae)

    Synonym: pelikan

33. (obsolete) any of various freshwater sculpins of the genus Cottus

    Synonym: głowacz

34. (obsolete) tuna (fish of the genus Thunnus)

    Synonym: tuńczyk

35. (Middle Polish) female mourner, griever (woman who cries over someone's death at a funeral)

    Synonym: płaczka

36. (Middle Polish) whipping block
37. (Middle Polish) common pear, (Pyrus communis)
38. (Middle Polish) cannon; gun

    Synonyms: armata, działo

39. (Middle Polish, chess) queen

    Synonyms: dama, hetman, królowa

40. (Middle Polish) quack; herbalist (woman who heals with herbs, especially incompetently)

Declension

Declension of baba

	singular	plural
nominative	baba	baby
genitive	baby	bab
dative	babie	babom
accusative	babę	baby
instrumental	babą	babami
locative	babie	babach
vocative	babo	baby

Derived terms

adjectives

• babciny
• babciowy
• babczany
• babi
• babkowaty
• babski

 

adverbs

• babsko

 

nouns

• Baba Jaga
• baba-chłop
• babcia
• babeczka
• babiarz
• babie lato
• babimór
• babina
• babiniec
• babinka
• babizna
• babka
• babka bycza
• babka lancetowata
• babka piaskowa
• babkowate
• babochłop
• baboholik
• babol
• babon
• babskość
• babstwo
• babsztyl
• babula
• babuleńka
• babulina
• babulinka
• babulka
• babunia
• babus
• babusia
• babuśka
• chłopobaba
• cioteczna babka
• ciuciubabka
• herod-baba
• pies na baby
• rżana baba
• stryjeczna babka
• ślepa babka

 

phrases

• baba z wozu, koniom lżej
• dziad swoje, baba swoje
• gdzie diabeł nie może, tam babę pośle
• masz babo placek
• na dwoje babka wróżyła
• nie miała baba kłopotu, kupiła sobie prosię

 

verbs

• babieć impf
• zbabieć pf

 

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Persian بابا (bâbâ).

Noun

baba m pers

1. (Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism) baba (holy man, a spiritual leader)

Declension

Declension of baba

	singular	plural
nominative	baba	babowie
genitive	baby	babów
dative	babie	babom
accusative	babę	babów
instrumental	babą	babami
locative	babie	babach
vocative	babo	babowie

Etymology 3

Borrowed from Turkish baba.

Noun

baba f

1. stone figure used in cult or spiritual functions
2. (Middle Polish) jail; dungeon

Declension

Declension of baba

	singular	plural
nominative	baba	baby
genitive	baby	bab
dative	babie	babom
accusative	babę	baby
instrumental	babą	babami
locative	babie	babach
vocative	babo	baby

Further reading

• baba in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• baba in Polish dictionaries at PWN
• Maria Renata Mayenowa, Stanisław Rospond, Witold Taszycki, Stefan Hrabec, Władysław Kuraszkiewicz (2010-2023) “baba”, in Słownik Polszczyzny XVI Wieku [A Dictionary of 16th Century Polish]
• Paweł Kupiszewski (18.07.2022) “BABA”, in Elektroniczny Słownik Języka Polskiego XVII i XVIII Wieku [Electronic Dictionary of the Polish Language of the XVII and XVIII Century]
• Samuel Bogumił Linde (1807–1814) “baba”, in Słownik języka polskiego
• Aleksander Zdanowicz (1861) “baba”, in Słownik języka polskiego, Wilno 1861
• J. Karłowicz, A. Kryński, W. Niedźwiedzki, editors (1900), “baba”, in Słownik języka polskiego (in Polish), volume 1, Warsaw, page 77
• Brückner, Aleksander (1927) “baba”, in Słownik etymologiczny języka polskiego [Etymological Dictionary of the Polish Language] (in Polish), Warsaw: Wiedza Powszechna
• Wojciech Grzegorzewicz (1894) “baba”, in Sprawozdania Komisji Językowej Akademii Umiejętności (in Polish), volume 5, Krakow: Akademia Umiejętności, page 102

Portuguese

Etymology 1

From the hypothesized Vulgar Latin *baba, ultimately imitative of children speech on the pattern of the repeated syllable ba.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈba.bɐ/

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈba.bɐ/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈba.ba/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈba.bɐ/ [ˈba.βɐ]

• Rhymes: -abɐ
• Hyphenation: ba‧ba

Noun

baba f (plural babas)

1. drool, dribble, slobber
2. (Brazil, vulgar) Cowper's fluid; pre-ejaculate

Derived terms

• baba de camelo
• babar
• baboso

 

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

baba

1. inflection of babar:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative

Further reading

• “baba”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2024

Ratagnon

Noun

baba

1. mouth

Romanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈba.ba]

Noun

baba

1. definite singular of babă

Salar

Etymology

Cognate with Azerbaijani baba.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [pɑpɑ]

Noun

baba

1. grandfather

References

• 林莲云 [Lin Lianyun] (1985) “baba”, in 撒拉语简志 [A Brief History of Salar]‎^[14], Beijing: 民族出版社: 琴書店, →OCLC, page 126
• Ma, Chengjun, Han, Lianye, Ma, Weisheng (December 2010) “baba”, in 米娜瓦尔 艾比布拉 (Minavar Abibra), editor, 撒维汉词典 (Sāwéihàncídiǎn) [Salar-Uyghur-Chinese dictionary] (in Chinese), 1st edition, Beijing, →ISBN, page 30

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *baba.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bâba/
• Hyphenation: ba‧ba

Noun

bȁba f (Cyrillic spelling ба̏ба)

1. (regional) grandmother
2. granny, grandma
3. (usually derogatory) old woman, hag
4. (derogatory) female person

Declension

Declension of baba

	singular	plural
nominative	bȁba	babe
genitive	babe	bȃbā
dative	babi	babama
accusative	babu	babe
vocative	babo	babe
locative	babi	babama
instrumental	babom	babama

Synonyms

• (grandmother; grandma): báka, nena

References

• “baba”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2024

Shona

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *bààbá.

Noun

babá class 1a (plural vababá class 2)

1. father
2. (Christianity) father (priest)

   Synonym: fata

Silesian

Etymology

Inherited from Old Polish baba.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈba.ba/
• Rhymes: -aba
• Syllabification: ba‧ba

Noun

baba f (diminutive babka)

1. (sometimes derogatory) woman; old woman (female person, especially an older one)

   Synonyms: kobiyta, niywiasta, (Cieszyn) żyńskŏ

2. wife; girlfriend (female romantic partner)

   Synonyms: ślubnŏ, żōna

3. midwife

   Synonym: hebama

4. grandma (mother of a parent)
5. female beggar (woman who begs)
6. female quack (female incompetent doctor)
7. female herbalist (woman who deals with herbs)
8. female matchmaker (woman who sets up couples)
9. narrowleaf plantain (Plantago lanceolata)
10. pile driver (machine for forcing a pile, a long beam, into the ground)
11. (derogatory) pansy, big girl's blouse (male of weak or cowardly character)
12. babka (type of cake)
13. scarecrow; female effigy
14. common pear, (Pyrus communis)

    Synonym: babka

15. large wooden hammer
16. pipe running from an oven to a chimney
17. (mining) hammer for mining
18. roof over the hearth of a furnace that discharges smoke into the chimney
19. chimney with a bulging, spherical shape
20. (forging) small anvil for striking a scythe or a sickle

    Synonym: babka

21. (agriculture) group of sheaves of grain next to each other covered in another sheaf

Declension

Declension of baba

	singular	plural
nominative	baba	baby
genitive	baby	bŏb/babōw
dative	babie	babōm
accusative	babã	baby
instrumental	babōm	babami/babōma
locative	babie	babach
vocative	babo	baby

Further reading

• baba in dykcjonorz.eu
• baba in silling.org
• Bogdan Kallus (2020) “baba”, in Słownik Gōrnoślōnskij Gŏdki, IV edition, Chorzów: Pro Loquela Silesiana, →ISBN, page 234
• Henryk Jaroszewicz (2022) “baba”, in Zasady pisowni języka śląskiego (in Polish), Siedlce: Wydawnictwo Naukowe IKR[i]BL, page 62
• Aleksandra Wencel (2023) “baba”, in Dykcjůnôrz ślų̊sko-polski, page 32

Slovak

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *baba.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈbaba]

Noun

baba f

1. (colloquial) old woman
2. (colloquial) girl
3. (dated) midwife
4. (dated) doll

   Synonym: bábika

5. (dated) puppet

   Synonym: maňuška

6. (dated) hash brown

   Synonyms: zemiaková placka, zemiaková baba

Declension

Declension of baba

	singular	plural
nominative	baba	baby
genitive	baby	báb
dative	babe	babám
accusative	babu	baby
locative	babe	babách
instrumental	babou	babami

Derived terms

• babský (adj)
• babsky (adverb)
• babisko

Further reading

• “baba”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2024

Slovene

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *baba.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bàːba/

Noun

baba f

1. old woman, hag

Inflection

The diacritics used in this section of the entry are non-tonal. If you are a native tonal speaker, please help by adding the tonal marks.

Feminine, a-stem
nom. sing.	bába
gen. sing.	bábe
	singular	dual	plural
nominative (imenovȃlnik)	bába	bábi	bábe
genitive (rodȋlnik)	bábe	báb	báb
dative (dajȃlnik)	bábi	bábama	bábam
accusative (tožȋlnik)	bábo	bábi	bábe
locative (mẹ̑stnik)	bábi	bábah	bábah
instrumental (orọ̑dnik)	bábo	bábama	bábami

Derived terms

• bábica

Further reading

• “baba”, in Slovarji Inštituta za slovenski jezik Frana Ramovša ZRC SAZU, portal Fran

Slovincian

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *baba, ultimately from nursery language.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈba.ba/
• Rhymes: -aba
• Syllabification: ba‧ba

Noun

baba f (diminutive babjina, augmentative babjiszczô or babskô, related adjective babjy, possessive adjective babjyn)

1. old woman
2. (derogatory) woman, broad
3. female animal

Declension

Declension of baba

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	baba	babjê	babë
genitive	babë	—	bob
dative	babjê	babôma	babóm
accusative	babã	—	babë
instrumental	babõ	babôma	babamy
locative	babjê	—	babach
vocative	—	—	—

Derived terms

adjectives

• babskjy

 

Related terms

nouns

• babjynka

 

verbs

• babjoc impf, zbabjoc pf

 

References

• Lorentz, Friedrich (1908) “bãbă”, in Slovinzisches Wörterbuch‎^[15] (in German), volume 1, Saint Petersburg: ОРЯС ИАН, page 10

Southern Ndebele

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-bába.

Verb

-bába

1. to be bitter

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Spanish

Etymology

From the hypothesized Vulgar Latin *baba (“drooling, infantile talk”), ultimately imitative of children's speech on the pattern of the repeated syllable ba.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbaba/ [ˈba.β̞a]

• Audio (Venezuela):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aba
• Syllabification: ba‧ba

Noun

baba f (plural babas)

1. drool, dribble

   La chacha lavaba, y mientras lavaba, la baba se le caía.

   The maid washed, and as she washed, she drooled.

2. slime
3. (Venezuela) baby alligator, caiman or crocodile

Derived terms

• de baba

 

Related terms

• babear
• babero
• babosa
• baboso

 

See also

• cieno
• lama

Further reading

• “baba”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), 23rd edition, Royal Spanish Academy, 2014 October 16

Swahili

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *bààbá.

Pronunciation

• Audio (Kenya):

  (file)

Noun

baba (n class, plural baba)

1. father (male parent)

Coordinate terms

• mama

Derived terms

• baba mkwe (“father-in-law”)
• baba wa kambo (“stepfather”)
• ubaba

Swazi

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-bába.

Verb

-bába

1. (intransitive) to taste bitter

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Tagalog

Etymology 1

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *babaq, from Proto-Austronesian *babaq (“lower surface, below, bottom”). Cognate with Malay bawah (“under, below”).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog)
  • IPA^(key): /ˈbabaʔ/ [ˈbaː.bɐʔ] (“chin; lowness”)
    • Rhymes: -abaʔ
  • IPA^(key): /baˈbaʔ/ [bɐˈbaʔ] (“descent; getting off; downstairs; decrease; fruit picking in season”)
    • Rhymes: -aʔ
• Syllabification: ba‧ba

Noun

babà (Baybayin spelling ᜊᜊ)

1. lowness; low height
2. (anatomy) chin

   Synonym: (Marinduque) sihang

Derived terms

• alog na ang baba
• baba sandata
• babaan
• bumaba
• ibong mababa ang lipad
• kababaan
• kababaan ng loob
• kababaang-loob
• kalapating mababa ang lipad
• kalumbaba
• mababa
• mababa ang luha
• mababain
• mababang kapulungan
• mababang paaralan
• mababang-loob
• magpakababa
• napakababa
• ngalumbaba
• pababain
• pagpapababa
• pagpapakababa
• pakababain
• pangangalumbaba
• pinakamababa
• salumbaba

 

Noun

babâ (Baybayin spelling ᜊᜊ)

1. descent; going down

   Synonyms: lapag, lunsad, lusong, (of stairs) panaog

2. getting off; alighting (from a vehicle or animal)
3. stepping down; abdication; resignation from office

   Synonyms: bitiw, abdika, dimiti

4. downstairs; basement

   Synonyms: ibaba, lapag

5. decrease; lowering (of quantity or measurement)
6. fruit picking in season
7. putting down the phone; hanging up on a phone call

Derived terms

• babaan
• bumaba
• ibaba
• ibinaba
• ipababa
• magbaba
• magpababa
• magpakumbaba
• pababa
• pababain
• pagbaba
• pagbaba-pagtaas
• pagbababa
• paibaba
• pakumbaba
• pangayumbaba
• tagababa
• talababa

 

Etymology 2

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *baba₁, from Proto-Austronesian *baba₁ (“to carry (a person piggyback)”). Cognate with Malay bawa (“to carry”).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog)
  • IPA^(key): /baˈba/ [bɐˈba] (“piggyback”, noun; “carried piggyback”, adjective)
    • Rhymes: -a
  • IPA^(key): /ˈbaba/ [ˈbaː.bɐ] (“(obsolete) loading into a boat”, noun)
    • Rhymes: -aba
• Syllabification: ba‧ba

Noun

babá (Baybayin spelling ᜊᜊ)

1. piggyback
2. coitus of animals

   Synonym: kasta

Derived terms

• babahan
• babahin
• babhin
• bumaba
• ibaba
• kababa
• maba
• mababahan
• magbaba
• pagbababa
• palababahan

 

See also

• pasan

 

Adjective

babá (Baybayin spelling ᜊᜊ)

1. carried piggyback

   Baba ko siya.

   I am carrying him piggyback.

Noun

baba (Baybayin spelling ᜊᜊ) (obsolete)

1. loading a person into a boat

   Synonyms: pagsakay, paglulan

Derived terms

• babahan
• babahin
• mamaba
• mapababa

 

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /baˈbaʔ/ [bɐˈbaʔ]
• Rhymes: -aʔ
• Syllabification: ba‧ba

Noun

babâ (Baybayin spelling ᜊᜊ) (obsolete)

1. name of the Baybayin letter ᜊ (ba), corresponding to "ba"

See also

• ba

 

Further reading

• “baba”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, Manila, 2018
• Noceda, Fr. Juan José de, Sanlucar, Fr. Pedro de (1860) Vocabulario de la lengua tagala, compuesto por varios religiosos doctos y graves‎^[16] (in Spanish), Manila: Ramirez y Giraudier
• Santos, Fr. Domingo de los (1835) Tomas Oliva, editor, Vocabulario de la lengua tagala: primera, y segunda parte.‎^[17] (in Spanish), La imprenta nueva de D. Jose Maria Dayot
• San Buena Ventura, Fr. Pedro de (1613) Juan de Silva, editor, Vocabulario de lengua tagala: El romance castellano puesto primero‎^[18], La Noble Villa de Pila
  • page 2: “Abajar) Baba [(pc)] lo q̃ eſta alto”
  • page 99: “B) Baba (pc) aſi llaman eſtos [a nueſtra]. B. nombrandola .|. babayaon .|. ᜊ. baba ang maſoſonor dito. B. [eſta que] aqui ſe a de ſeguir. Pero ſi la eſcriven o pronunçian es [ſimplemente]. B. vſanla ſiempre conſonante como noſotros q̃ yere en la bocal como, bata, bang̃is, bago, &c.”
  • page 101: “Bajo) Baba (pc) no alto, mababa, ad) cualquier coſa baja”
  • page 103: “Barba) Baba (pp) la carne [y no] el pelo o barba ſin pelo [como la] dela muger”
  • page 147: “Carga) Baba (pc) de alguna coſa”
  • page 147: “Cargar) Baba (pc) enlas eſpaldas algo”
  • page 359: “Humillarſe) Baba (pp) y ſujetarſe [en lo] interior”
  • page 398: “Lleuar) Baba [(pc) en barco] a alguna perſona”
  • page 405: “Mano) Baba (pp) tener pueſta en la mejilla”
  • page 414: “Melancolico) Baba [(pp)] eſtar pueſta la mano en la mejilla”
• Blust, Robert; Trussel, Stephen; et al. (2023) “*babaq₁”, in the CLDF dataset from The Austronesian Comparative Dictionary (2010–), →DOI
• Blust, Robert; Trussel, Stephen; et al. (2023) “*baba₁”, in the CLDF dataset from The Austronesian Comparative Dictionary (2010–), →DOI

Taíno

Noun

baba

1. father

Tarifit

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

baba m (Tifinagh spelling ⴱⴰⴱⴰ, plural ibabaten)

1. father

Related terms

• mmi (“son”)
• yemma (“mother”)
• yeǧi (“daughter”)

 

Ternate

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈba.ba]

Noun

baba

1. father

   Synonym: aba

References

• Rika Hayami-Allen (2001). A Descriptive Study of the Language of Ternate, the Northern Moluccas, Indonesia. University of Pittsburgh.

Turkish

Etymology

From Ottoman Turkish بابا. First attested in 13th century. Nişanyan suggests the current word is a result of onomatopoeia found commonly in many languages. (In that respect, compare also papa and mama as translingual phenomena for father and mother.)

Cognate with Southern Altai баабый (baabïy, “small baby”), папа (papa), Kazakh баба (baba), Bashkir баба (baba), Uzbek bobo, Uyghur بابا (baba), بوۋا (bowa), Turkmen baba, Azerbaijani baba (“grandfather”), etc.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /baˈba/
• Hyphenation: ba‧ba

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

baba (definite accusative babayı, plural babalar)

1. father
2. bollard
3. (Bektashism) saint
4. (slang) crime boss
5. (slang) penis, dick
6. (Bursa) roundabout

Declension

Inflection
Nominative	baba
Definite accusative	babayı
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	baba	babalar
Definite accusative	babayı	babaları
Dative	babaya	babalara
Locative	babada	babalarda
Ablative	babadan	babalardan
Genitive	babanın	babaların
Possessive forms Nominative Singular Plural 1st singular babam babalarım 2nd singular baban babaların 3rd singular babası babaları 1st plural babamız babalarımız 2nd plural babanız babalarınız 3rd plural babaları babaları Definite accusative Singular Plural 1st singular babamı babalarımı 2nd singular babanı babalarını 3rd singular babasını babalarını 1st plural babamızı babalarımızı 2nd plural babanızı babalarınızı 3rd plural babalarını babalarını Dative Singular Plural 1st singular babama babalarıma 2nd singular babana babalarına 3rd singular babasına babalarına 1st plural babamıza babalarımıza 2nd plural babanıza babalarınıza 3rd plural babalarına babalarına Locative Singular Plural 1st singular babamda babalarımda 2nd singular babanda babalarında 3rd singular babasında babalarında 1st plural babamızda babalarımızda 2nd plural babanızda babalarınızda 3rd plural babalarında babalarında Ablative Singular Plural 1st singular babamdan babalarımdan 2nd singular babandan babalarından 3rd singular babasından babalarından 1st plural babamızdan babalarımızdan 2nd plural babanızdan babalarınızdan 3rd plural babalarından babalarından Genitive Singular Plural 1st singular babamın babalarımın 2nd singular babanın babalarının 3rd singular babasının babalarının 1st plural babamızın babalarımızın 2nd plural babanızın babalarınızın 3rd plural babalarının babalarının
Predicative forms Singular Plural 1st singular babayım babalarım 2nd singular babasın babalarsın 3rd singular baba babadır babalar babalardır 1st plural babayız babalarız 2nd plural babasınız babalarsınız 3rd plural babalar babalardır

Derived terms

• Âdem baba
• ağababa
• ana baba
• Arap Baba
• baba adam
• baba bucağı
• baba evi
• baba hindi
• baba mirası
• baba nasihati
• baba ocağı
• Baba Oruç
• baba tatlısı
• baba yadigârı
• baba yurdu
• babaanne
• babacan
• babayiğit
• ballıbaba
• büyük baba
• dedebaba
• devlet baba
• efendibaba
• Gani Baba
• Gül Baba
• Haçkalı Baba
• iskele babası
• kayın baba
• Mimi Baba
• Noel baba
• paşa baba
• Somuncu Baba
• Şam Baba
• üvey baba

 

Adjective

baba

1. (slang) top-notch, high-quality, very good

Descendants

• → German: baba

Further reading

• “baba”, in Turkish dictionaries, Türk Dil Kurumu
• Aktunç, Hulki (1998) “baba”, in Türkçenin büyük argo sözlüğü (tanıklarıyla) [Great Dictionary of Turkish Argot (with Attestations)] (in Turkish), Istanbul: YKY, page 55a
• Devellioğlu, Ferit (1980) “baba”, in Türk argosu: Inceleme ve sözlük (Aydin Kitabevi yayınları. Sözlük dizisi; 1)‎^[19] (in Turkish), 6th edition, Ankara: Aydın Kitabevi, page 62a
• Püsküllüoğlu, Ali (2021) “baba”, in Türkçenin Argo Sözlüğü [Turkish Slang Dictionary] (in Turkish), 4th edition, Ankara: Arkadaş, →ISBN, page 35

Turkmen

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [baːba]
• IPA^(key): [baːβa]

Noun

baba

1. maternal grandfather
2. term of address for old men

Upper Sorbian

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *bàba.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbaba/
• Rhymes: -aba
• Hyphenation: ba‧ba
• Syllabification: ba‧ba

Noun

baba f (diminutive babka)

1. midwife (woman who attends births, helping women in labor)
2. bundt cake
3. old woman (elderly woman)

Declension

Declension of baba (feminine hard stem)

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	baba	babje	baby
genitive	baby	babow	babow
dative	babje	babomaj	babam
accusative	babu	babje	baby
instrumental	babu	babomaj	babami
locative	babje	babomaj	babach
vocative	baba	babje	baby

References

• “baba” in Soblex

Venda

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *bààbá.

Noun

baba

1. father

West Makian

Etymology

Together with the polite yaya (“mother”), likely borrowed from Ternate baba (“father”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈba.ba/

Noun

baba

1. father

Usage notes

The term baba is used for addressing one's father, whereas the term fao is used for referring to a father.

References

• Clemens Voorhoeve (1982) The Makian languages and their neighbours‎^[20], Pacific linguistics

Yoruba

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bà.bá/

Noun

bàbá

1. father, dad

   Synonyms: baba, àbá, iba, bàá, bà

2. A term of respect or endearment for an older man, male relative, or a higher ranking man.
3. A title for a man of a specific occupation (ex. bàbá-alágbẹ̀dẹ (“blacksmith”)).

Usage notes

While bàbá is generally synonymous with baba, bàbá is a more restricted definition.

Coordinate terms

• ìyá (“mother”)

Derived terms

• bàbá-àgbà (“grandfather”)
• bàbá-ìyá (“maternal grandfather”)
• bàbábàbá (“paternal grandfather”)
• Ikú bàbá-yèyé! (“A hailing of the Alaafin of Oyo”)

 

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bā.bā/

Noun

baba

1. father

   Synonym: bàbá

2. elderly man of wisdom, sage, elder

   Synonym: bàbá

3. revered or senior leader or entity

   ògòǹgò, baba ẹyẹ ― The ostrich, the most revered of all the birds

4. male ancestor

   Synonym: baba-ńlá

5. A prefix for given names in the class orúkọ àmútọ̀runwá, given to children who are believed to be reincarnations of a male ancestor. (ex. Babájídé, Babátúndé).

Derived terms

• baba-kékeré (“uncle”)
• baba-nígbẹ̀ẹ́jọ́ (“godfather”)
• Baba-ìṣègùn (“chief healer of a town”)
• Baba-ìyajì (“A prince of the Oyo royal family”)
• baba-ńlá (“male ancestor”)
• babababa (“grandfather”)
• babaláwo (“Ifa priest”)
• Babájídé
• Babánùmí
• Babárímisá
• Babátúndé
• Balógun
• baálẹ̀
• baálé (“head of the household”)

 

Etymology 3

Àwọn nǹkan oníbàbà

Chemical element
Cu
Previous: níkùlù (Ni)
Next: síǹkì (Zn)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bà.bà/

Noun

bàbà

1. copper (chemical element, Cu, atomical number 29)

Derived terms

• bàbàganran (“bronze”)

Etymology 4

Bábà

Borrowed from English barber.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bá.bà/

Noun

bábà

1. barber

   Synonyms: onígbàjámọ̀, agẹrun, gẹrun-gẹrun

Etymology 5

Bàbà

Possibly from Etymology 3 (bàbà (“copper”)), in reference to the copper-like color of sorghum

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bà.bà/

Noun

bàbà

1. sorghum, millet, (in particular) Sorghum bicolor

   Synonyms: ọkà bàbà, jéró

2. dark red color, in comparison to the color of sorghum

   Synonym: ẹpọ́n

Etymology 6

Adjective sense derives from ideophone sense

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bà.bà/, /bá.bá/

Ideophone

bàbà or bábá

1. (of an object) to be quickly and rapidly hovering

Derived terms

• rá bàbà (“to hover”)

Adjective

bábá

1. plentiful

   bábá owó ― Plentiful amount of money

Derived terms

• ìbàábá (“secrecy, privacy”)

Zulu

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *-bába.

Verb

-bába

1. (intransitive) to taste hot, spicy
2. (intransitive) to taste bitter

Inflection

Tone H
Infinitive	ukubaba
	Positive	Negative
Infinitive	ukubaba	ukungababi
	Imperative
	Simple	+ object concord
Singular	baba	-babe
Plural	babani	-babeni
	Present
	Positive absolute	Positive relative	Positive participial	Negative absolute	Negative relative	Negative participial
1st singular	ngiyababa, ngibaba	engibabayo, engibaba	ngibaba	angibabi	engingababi	ngingababi
2nd singular	uyababa, ubaba	obabayo, obaba	ubaba	awubabi	ongababi	ungababi
1st plural	siyababa, sibaba	esibabayo, esibaba	sibaba	asibabi	esingababi	singababi
2nd plural	niyababa, nibaba	enibabayo, enibaba	nibaba	anibabi	eningababi	ningababi
Class 1	uyababa, ubaba	obabayo, obaba	ebaba	akababi	ongababi	engababi
Class 2	bayababa, bababa	abababayo, abababa	bebaba	abababi	abangababi	bengababi
Class 3	uyababa, ubaba	obabayo, obaba	ubaba	awubabi	ongababi	ungababi
Class 4	iyababa, ibaba	ebabayo, ebaba	ibaba	ayibabi	engababi	ingababi
Class 5	liyababa, libaba	elibabayo, elibaba	libaba	alibabi	elingababi	lingababi
Class 6	ayababa, ababa	ababayo, ababa	ebaba	awababi	angababi	engababi
Class 7	siyababa, sibaba	esibabayo, esibaba	sibaba	asibabi	esingababi	singababi
Class 8	ziyababa, zibaba	ezibabayo, ezibaba	zibaba	azibabi	ezingababi	zingababi
Class 9	iyababa, ibaba	ebabayo, ebaba	ibaba	ayibabi	engababi	ingababi
Class 10	ziyababa, zibaba	ezibabayo, ezibaba	zibaba	azibabi	ezingababi	zingababi
Class 11	luyababa, lubaba	olubabayo, olubaba	lubaba	alubabi	olungababi	lungababi
Class 14	buyababa, bubaba	obubabayo, obubaba	bubaba	abubabi	obungababi	bungababi
Class 15	kuyababa, kubaba	okubabayo, okubaba	kubaba	akubabi	okungababi	kungababi
Class 17	kuyababa, kubaba	okubabayo, okubaba	kubaba	akubabi	okungababi	kungababi
	Recent past
	Positive absolute	Positive relative	Positive participial	Negative absolute	Negative relative	Negative participial
1st singular	ngibabile, ngibabē	engibabile, engibabē	ngibabile, ngibabē	angibabanga	engingababanga	ngingababanga
2nd singular	ubabile, ubabē	obabile, obabē	ubabile, ubabē	awubabanga	ongababanga	ungababanga
1st plural	sibabile, sibabē	esibabile, esibabē	sibabile, sibabē	asibabanga	esingababanga	singababanga
2nd plural	nibabile, nibabē	enibabile, enibabē	nibabile, nibabē	anibabanga	eningababanga	ningababanga
Class 1	ubabile, ubabē	obabile, obabē	ebabile, ebabē	akababanga	ongababanga	engababanga
Class 2	bababile, bababē	abababile, abababē	bebabile, bebabē	abababanga	abangababanga	bengababanga
Class 3	ubabile, ubabē	obabile, obabē	ubabile, ubabē	awubabanga	ongababanga	ungababanga
Class 4	ibabile, ibabē	ebabile, ebabē	ibabile, ibabē	ayibabanga	engababanga	ingababanga
Class 5	libabile, libabē	elibabile, elibabē	libabile, libabē	alibabanga	elingababanga	lingababanga
Class 6	ababile, ababē	ababile, ababē	ebabile, ebabē	awababanga	angababanga	engababanga
Class 7	sibabile, sibabē	esibabile, esibabē	sibabile, sibabē	asibabanga	esingababanga	singababanga
Class 8	zibabile, zibabē	ezibabile, ezibabē	zibabile, zibabē	azibabanga	ezingababanga	zingababanga
Class 9	ibabile, ibabē	ebabile, ebabē	ibabile, ibabē	ayibabanga	engababanga	ingababanga
Class 10	zibabile, zibabē	ezibabile, ezibabē	zibabile, zibabē	azibabanga	ezingababanga	zingababanga
Class 11	lubabile, lubabē	olubabile, olubabē	lubabile, lubabē	alubabanga	olungababanga	lungababanga
Class 14	bubabile, bubabē	obubabile, obubabē	bubabile, bubabē	abubabanga	obungababanga	bungababanga
Class 15	kubabile, kubabē	okubabile, okubabē	kubabile, kubabē	akubabanga	okungababanga	kungababanga
Class 17	kubabile, kubabē	okubabile, okubabē	kubabile, kubabē	akubabanga	okungababanga	kungababanga
	Remote past
	Positive absolute	Positive relative	Positive participial	Negative absolute	Negative relative	Negative participial
1st singular	ngābaba	engābaba	ngābaba	angibabanga	engingababanga	ngingababanga
2nd singular	wābaba	owābaba	wābaba	awubabanga	ongababanga	ungababanga
1st plural	sābaba	esābaba	sābaba	asibabanga	esingababanga	singababanga
2nd plural	nābaba	enābaba	nābaba	anibabanga	eningababanga	ningababanga
Class 1	wābaba	owābaba	ābaba	akababanga	ongababanga	engababanga
Class 2	bābaba	abābaba	bābaba	abababanga	abangababanga	bengababanga
Class 3	wābaba	owābaba	wābaba	awubabanga	ongababanga	ungababanga
Class 4	yābaba	eyābaba	yābaba	ayibabanga	engababanga	ingababanga
Class 5	lābaba	elābaba	lābaba	alibabanga	elingababanga	lingababanga
Class 6	ābaba	ābaba	ābaba	awababanga	angababanga	engababanga
Class 7	sābaba	esābaba	sābaba	asibabanga	esingababanga	singababanga
Class 8	zābaba	ezābaba	zābaba	azibabanga	ezingababanga	zingababanga
Class 9	yābaba	eyābaba	yābaba	ayibabanga	engababanga	ingababanga
Class 10	zābaba	ezābaba	zābaba	azibabanga	ezingababanga	zingababanga
Class 11	lwābaba	olwābaba	lwābaba	alubabanga	olungababanga	lungababanga
Class 14	bābaba	obābaba	bābaba	abubabanga	obungababanga	bungababanga
Class 15	kwābaba	okwābaba	kwābaba	akubabanga	okungababanga	kungababanga
Class 17	kwābaba	okwābaba	kwābaba	akubabanga	okungababanga	kungababanga
	Potential
	Positive absolute	Positive relative	Positive participial	Negative absolute	Negative relative	Negative participial
1st singular	ngingababa	—	ngingababa	ngingebabe	—	ngingebabe
2nd singular	ungababa	—	ungababa	ungebabe	—	ungebabe
1st plural	singababa	—	singababa	singebabe	—	singebabe
2nd plural	ningababa	—	ningababa	ningebabe	—	ningebabe
Class 1	angababa	—	engababa	angebabe	—	engebabe
Class 2	bangababa	—	bengababa	bangebabe	—	bengebabe
Class 3	ungababa	—	ungababa	ungebabe	—	ungebabe
Class 4	ingababa	—	ingababa	ingebabe	—	ingebabe
Class 5	lingababa	—	lingababa	lingebabe	—	lingebabe
Class 6	angababa	—	engababa	angebabe	—	engebabe
Class 7	singababa	—	singababa	singebabe	—	singebabe
Class 8	zingababa	—	zingababa	zingebabe	—	zingebabe
Class 9	ingababa	—	ingababa	ingebabe	—	ingebabe
Class 10	zingababa	—	zingababa	zingebabe	—	zingebabe
Class 11	lungababa	—	lungababa	lungebabe	—	lungebabe
Class 14	bungababa	—	bungababa	bungebabe	—	bungebabe
Class 15	kungababa	—	kungababa	kungebabe	—	kungebabe
Class 17	kungababa	—	kungababa	kungebabe	—	kungebabe
	Immediate future
	Positive absolute	Positive relative	Positive participial	Negative absolute	Negative relative	Negative participial
1st singular	ngizobaba	engizobaba	ngizobaba	angizubaba	engingezubaba	ngingezubaba
2nd singular	uzobaba	ozobaba	uzobaba	awuzubaba	ongezubaba	ungezubaba
1st plural	sizobaba	esizobaba	sizobaba	asizubaba	esingezubaba	singezubaba
2nd plural	nizobaba	enizobaba	nizobaba	anizubaba	eningezubaba	ningezubaba
Class 1	uzobaba	ozobaba	ezobaba	akazubaba	ongezubaba	engezubaba
Class 2	bazobaba	abazobaba	bezobaba	abazubaba	abangezubaba	bengezubaba
Class 3	uzobaba	ozobaba	uzobaba	awuzubaba	ongezubaba	ungezubaba
Class 4	izobaba	ezobaba	izobaba	ayizubaba	engezubaba	ingezubaba
Class 5	lizobaba	elizobaba	lizobaba	alizubaba	elingezubaba	lingezubaba
Class 6	azobaba	azobaba	ezobaba	awazubaba	angezubaba	engezubaba
Class 7	sizobaba	esizobaba	sizobaba	asizubaba	esingezubaba	singezubaba
Class 8	zizobaba	ezizobaba	zizobaba	azizubaba	ezingezubaba	zingezubaba
Class 9	izobaba	ezobaba	izobaba	ayizubaba	engezubaba	ingezubaba
Class 10	zizobaba	ezizobaba	zizobaba	azizubaba	ezingezubaba	zingezubaba
Class 11	luzobaba	oluzobaba	luzobaba	aluzubaba	olungezubaba	lungezubaba
Class 14	buzobaba	obuzobaba	buzobaba	abuzubaba	obungezubaba	bungezubaba
Class 15	kuzobaba	okuzobaba	kuzobaba	akuzubaba	okungezubaba	kungezubaba
Class 17	kuzobaba	okuzobaba	kuzobaba	akuzubaba	okungezubaba	kungezubaba
	Remote future
	Positive absolute	Positive relative	Positive participial	Negative absolute	Negative relative	Negative participial
1st singular	ngiyobaba	engiyobaba	ngiyobaba	angiyubaba	engingeyubaba	ngingeyubaba
2nd singular	uyobaba	oyobaba	uyobaba	awuyubaba	ongeyubaba	ungeyubaba
1st plural	siyobaba	esiyobaba	siyobaba	asiyubaba	esingeyubaba	singeyubaba
2nd plural	niyobaba	eniyobaba	niyobaba	aniyubaba	eningeyubaba	ningeyubaba
Class 1	uyobaba	oyobaba	eyobaba	akayubaba	ongeyubaba	engeyubaba
Class 2	bayobaba	abayobaba	beyobaba	abayubaba	abangeyubaba	bengeyubaba
Class 3	uyobaba	oyobaba	uyobaba	awuyubaba	ongeyubaba	ungeyubaba
Class 4	iyobaba	eyobaba	iyobaba	ayiyubaba	engeyubaba	ingeyubaba
Class 5	liyobaba	eliyobaba	liyobaba	aliyubaba	elingeyubaba	lingeyubaba
Class 6	ayobaba	ayobaba	eyobaba	awayubaba	angeyubaba	engeyubaba
Class 7	siyobaba	esiyobaba	siyobaba	asiyubaba	esingeyubaba	singeyubaba
Class 8	ziyobaba	eziyobaba	ziyobaba	aziyubaba	ezingeyubaba	zingeyubaba
Class 9	iyobaba	eyobaba	iyobaba	ayiyubaba	engeyubaba	ingeyubaba
Class 10	ziyobaba	eziyobaba	ziyobaba	aziyubaba	ezingeyubaba	zingeyubaba
Class 11	luyobaba	oluyobaba	luyobaba	aluyubaba	olungeyubaba	lungeyubaba
Class 14	buyobaba	obuyobaba	buyobaba	abuyubaba	obungeyubaba	bungeyubaba
Class 15	kuyobaba	okuyobaba	kuyobaba	akuyubaba	okungeyubaba	kungeyubaba
Class 17	kuyobaba	okuyobaba	kuyobaba	akuyubaba	okungeyubaba	kungeyubaba
	Present subjunctive
	Positive	Negative
1st singular	ngibabe	ngingababi
2nd singular	ubabe	ungababi
1st plural	sibabe	singababi
2nd plural	nibabe	ningababi
Class 1	ababe	angababi
Class 2	bababe	bangababi
Class 3	ubabe	ungababi
Class 4	ibabe	ingababi
Class 5	libabe	lingababi
Class 6	ababe	angababi
Class 7	sibabe	singababi
Class 8	zibabe	zingababi
Class 9	ibabe	ingababi
Class 10	zibabe	zingababi
Class 11	lubabe	lungababi
Class 14	bubabe	bungababi
Class 15	kubabe	kungababi
Class 17	kubabe	kungababi
	Past subjunctive
	Positive	Negative
1st singular	ngababa	ngangababa, angababa, angangababa
2nd singular	wababa	wangababa, awababa, awangababa
1st plural	sababa	sangababa, asababa, asangababa
2nd plural	nababa	nangababa, anababa, anangababa
Class 1	wababa	wangababa, akababa, akangababa
Class 2	bababa	bangababa, abababa, abangababa
Class 3	wababa	wangababa, awababa, awangababa
Class 4	yababa	yangababa, ayababa, ayangababa
Class 5	lababa	langababa, alababa, alangababa
Class 6	ababa	angababa, awababa, awangababa
Class 7	sababa	sangababa, asababa, asangababa
Class 8	zababa	zangababa, azababa, azangababa
Class 9	yababa	yangababa, ayababa, ayangababa
Class 10	zababa	zangababa, azababa, azangababa
Class 11	lwababa	lwangababa, alwababa, alwangababa
Class 14	bababa	bangababa, abababa, abangababa
Class 15	kwababa	kwangababa, akwababa, akwangababa
Class 17	kwababa	kwangababa, akwababa, akwangababa

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Noun

baba

1. simple singular of ubaba

References

• C. M. Doke, B. W. Vilakazi (1972) “ɓaɓa”, in Zulu-English Dictionary, →ISBN: “ɓaɓa (3.9) v.”
• C. M. Doke, B. W. Vilakazi (1972) “ɓaɓa”, in Zulu-English Dictionary, →ISBN: “ɓaɓa (3-5.4) voc. interj.”