Where does “babe” come from?
Babe comes from Middle English baban, from Old English baba, from Proto-Germanic bō-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰā-, an imitative root for baby talk or stammering sounds.
babe (English): A baby or infant; a very young human or animal;...
Definitions
- A baby or infant; a very young human or animal;...
Ancestry of “babe”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | babe | babe, baby |
| 2 | Old English | baba | boy, child |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | babô | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | bō- | A stem meaning "father, brother, close male... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰā- | to say |
Words derived from “babe”