plural babies
1
a(1)
: an extremely young child
especially
: infant
She just had a baby.
I hear the baby crying.
—sometimes used of an adult daughter or son to express parental nostalgia or affection Our baby has gone off to college.
You'll always be my baby.
(2)
: an extremely young animal
b
: the youngest of a group
He is the baby of the family.
2
a
: one that is like a baby (as in behavior)
When it comes to getting shots, I'm a real baby.
b
: something that is one's special responsibility, achievement, or interest
The project was his baby.
3
1
: of, relating to, or being an extremely young child
a baby bonnet
2
: much smaller than the usual
baby carrots
a baby grand piano
Take baby steps.
babied; babying
1
: to tend to indulge with often excessive or inappropriate care and solicitude
babying their only child
2
: to use or treat with care
babying a sore knee
Synonyms
Examples of baby in a Sentence
Noun
I hear the baby crying.
The baby is just learning to crawl.
a bird and its babies
My sister is the baby of the family.
“Only 32? Oh, you're just a baby!”
When it comes to getting shots, I'm a real baby.
Don't be such a baby—you'll get your turn.
Nothing's gone right since my baby went away.
Verb
That boy will never learn to stand up for himself if you don't stop babying him.
He was babying his injured foot.
Recent Examples on the Web
Khushbu Shah, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2024
From singing priests and parents cradling babies to acrobats and surfers, all walks of life are present in stone at Otagi Nenbutsuji.
—John Clifford, Travel + Leisure, 20 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for baby 
Noun
Ling says customers buy them to give away as presents, or as smash cakes for babies’ birthdays.
—Khushbu Shah, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2024
From singing priests and parents cradling babies to acrobats and surfers, all walks of life are present in stone at Otagi Nenbutsuji.
—John Clifford, Travel + Leisure, 20 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for baby
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'baby.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near baby
Cite this Entry
“Baby.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/baby. Accessed 3 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
baby
2 of 3 adjective1
: being or relating to a baby
a baby deer
my baby sister
baby clothes
2
: much smaller than usual
a baby grand piano
baby carrots
a baby spaceship
baby
3 of 3 verb
babied; babying
1
: to use or treat as a baby : pet
2
: to operate or treat with care
babied the car
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