Did you know?
He was a prosperous real-estate broker, a pillar of his Midwestern community, and a believer in success for its own sake. George F. Babbitt was his name and complacent American middle-class values were his game. Created by Sinclair Lewis in the satirical 1922 novel Babbitt, he epitomized the unimaginative and self-important businessmen that Lewis found typical of the provincial cities and towns of America—and the word Babbitt quickly became a byname for one who adheres to a conformist, materialistic, unimaginative way of life. Despite his evident prosperity and status, Lewis’s protagonist remains vaguely dissatisfied with life and makes tentative attempts at rebellion; in the end, however, he finds his need for social acceptance greater than his desire for escape.
Word History
George F. Babbitt, character in the novel Babbitt (1922) by Sinclair Lewis
1921, in the meaning defined above
Podcast
Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP
Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!
Dictionary Entries Near Babbitt
Cite this Entry
“Babbitt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Babbitt. Accessed 6 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Share