Where does “bava” come from?

bava (Ladino) comes from Greek βαβά, from Proto-Slavic baba, from Proto-Balto-Slavic bā́ˀbāˀ — old woman.

bava (Ladino): grandma, old woman

Definitions

  1. grandma, old woman

Ancestry of “bava”, step by step

bava traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Greek βαβά

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Greekβαβάgrandma, granny; nanny, nurse; wound, injury
2Proto-Slavicbabaold woman; grandmother; midwife
3Proto-Balto-Slavicbā́ˀbāˀold woman

via Vulgar Latin baba

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Vulgar Latinbabadrooling, infantile talk; drool, spit
Every word from Proto-Balto-Slavic bā́ˀbāˀ →Every word from Proto-Slavic baba →Every word from Greek βαβά →