Where does “баба” come from?

баба (Old East Slavic) comes from Proto-Slavic baba, from Proto-Balto-Slavic bā́ˀbāˀ — old woman.

баба (Old East Slavic): married woman; midwife; fortune teller, hex

Definitions

  1. married woman; midwife; fortune teller, hex

Ancestry of “баба”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Slavicbabaold woman; grandmother; midwife
2Proto-Balto-Slavicbā́ˀbāˀold woman
Every word from Proto-Balto-Slavic bā́ˀbāˀEvery word from Proto-Slavic baba
баба — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer