baby

noun

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ba·by | \ ˈbā-bē

plural babies

Definition of baby

(Entry 1 of 3)

1a(1) : an extremely young child especially : infant

(2) : an extremely young animal

b : the youngest of a group He is the baby of the family.

2a : 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 slang

a : girl, woman —often used in address

b : boy, man —often used in address Hey baby, nice car!

4 : person, thing is one tough baby

baby

adjective

Definition of baby (Entry 2 of 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.

baby

verb

babied; babying

Definition of baby (Entry 3 of 3)

transitive verb

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

Other Words from baby Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Phrases Containing baby Learn More About baby

Choose the Right Synonym for baby

Verb

indulge, pamper, humor, spoil, baby, mollycoddle mean to show undue favor to a person's desires and feelings. indulge implies excessive compliance and weakness in gratifying another's or one's own desires. indulged myself with food at the slightest excuse pamper implies inordinate gratification of desire for luxury and comfort with consequent enervating effect. pampered by the amenities of modern living humor stresses a yielding to a person's moods or whims. humored him by letting him tell the story spoil stresses the injurious effects on character by indulging or pampering. foolish parents spoil their children baby suggests excessive care, attention, or solicitude. babying students by grading too easily mollycoddle suggests an excessive degree of care and attention to another's health or welfare. refused to mollycoddle her malingering son

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. It looked like he was babying his injured foot. See More

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The pair — who welcomed their first baby, a daughter, via surrogate back in January — dressed for the occasion, Chopra wearing a bright yellow ensemble and Jonas, 29, in a patterned short-sleeve top. — Natasha Dado, PEOPLE.com, 18 Apr. 2022 The more premature the baby, the more serious the health risks. — Washington Post, 11 Apr. 2022 Read on to find the best stroller for you, your baby, and all your running needs. — Sara Coughlin, SELF, 7 Apr. 2022 It’s not unheard of for artists to miss their own Grammy wins (Carole King was at home with a 10-week-old baby the night Tapestry won Album of the Year). — Al Shipley, SPIN, 4 Apr. 2022 Of these institutions, the most notorious, thanks to a landmark government investigation in 2015, are the mother-and-baby homes, most of which were run by Catholic nuns. — James Wood, The New Yorker, 4 Apr. 2022 But stepping out of the cover group circuit was the brainchild of the baby of the group, Angel, who envisioned a grander future for his siblings. — Britt Julious, chicagotribune.com, 2 Apr. 2022 In the mother-and-baby homes, many women were separated from their children, who were secretly put up for adoption by doctors, or the church. — New York Times, 31 Mar. 2022 All that’s missing to complete the picture is a baby, which the couple are trying to make a reality. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 25 Mar. 2022 Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective The rapper continued her surprise post-baby tour of Paris Fashion Week at the Balenciaga office in Paris Thursday. — Quinci Legardye, Harper's BAZAAR, 2 Oct. 2021 Earlier this week, the mom of two made her first post-baby appearance strutting down the red carpet in a jaw-dropping look from Thierry Mugler. — Georgia Slater, PEOPLE.com, 30 Sep. 2021 During a recent meditation session, the memory of a friend who had struggled with losing her post-baby weight came to Ross. — Lola Ogunnaike, Marie Claire, 17 May 2021 Sevigny also shared how she's been adapting to parenthood, explaining how her pre-baby organization has gone out the window since bringing home her new addition. — Benjamin Vanhoose, PEOPLE.com, 31 Aug. 2020 Two more members of the group chimed in with tales of their own post-baby dental decline. — Rosie Colosi, The Atlantic, 28 July 2021 The duo recently opened up about learning how to embrace their post-baby bodies and experiencing postpartum symptoms together. — Naledi Ushe, PEOPLE.com, 13 July 2021 On Thursday, the Food Network star, 39, opened up about her post-baby body and getting back to feeling herself after welcoming her first child, Iris Marion, with husband Ryan Biegel last September. — Georgia Slater, PEOPLE.com, 9 July 2021 Ciara was able to see results and get back to her pre-baby weight in an impressive amount of time. — Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 21 June 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Born in 1994, Bridgers grew up absorbing a broad range of music inherited from her parents and their friends, who introduced her to baby boomer icons such as Neil Young and Joni Mitchell. — Suzy Expositostaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2022 Experimenting with nearly 70-something styles last year alone, Cha treats her hair like a blank canvas, adorning it with everything from #BlackLivesMatter fists to baby devil horns. — Cassandra Pintro, Vogue, 20 Jan. 2022 That date marks the Christian holiday of Epiphany, when three kings brought presents to baby Jesus. — Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2022 March 14, 2019: Khloé and Tristan may no longer be together, but they will forever be connected thanks to baby True. — Carolyn Twersky, Seventeen, 4 Jan. 2022 This is all thanks to the product’s unique formulation of charcoal, rosemary leaf extract, and green tea extract, which all work together to reveal clear and baby soft skin. — Joseph Deacetis, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2021 The piñatas were crafted in the form of a star, representing the light that guided the three wise men to baby Jesus. — Stephanie García, baltimoresun.com, 25 Dec. 2021 As the biblical Christmas story goes, the wise men saw a star and followed it to baby Jesus. — Justin Curto, Vulture, 21 Dec. 2021 Anthony Rosa, the 51-year-old father to baby Charles Rosa-Velloso, was charged with reckless manslaughter. — NBC News, 3 Dec. 2021 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'baby.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.