baby blue

noun

1
: a pale blue
2
baby blues plural : blue eyes
She's a zaftig woman, with long red hair and a pale rose complexion setting off those baby blues.—Michele Kort
3
baby blues plural in form but singular or plural in construction : a feeling of sadness that is experienced by a woman shortly after giving birth, that is typically accompanied by other symptoms (such as mood swings, crying spells, and insomnia), and that usually lasts less than two weeks : postpartum blues
Baby blues isn't an illness or even a proper psychiatric diagnosis, it is simply a way that people have tried to describe unpleasant feelings that occur shortly after having a baby and tend to resolve in a few days.—Jackie Ganley
—usually used with the
She suffered a case of the baby blues for a few days after having the baby.
compare postpartum depression

Examples of baby blue in a Sentence

She gazed into his baby blues. She had a bad case of the baby blues.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Daisy Edgar-Jones Daisy Edgar-Jones stepped out for the Berlin premiere of Sense & Sensibility in a baby blue satin Armani Privé SS05 couture gown and Boucheron jewelry. — Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2026 On the verge of its first win in Death Valley in 25 years, the Tar Heels instead came from 14 points ahead to lose, 28-20, against Clemson on a wet, weird and utterly disappointing day for the baby blue faithful. — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 20 Sep. 2026 Bieber offset her tiny baby blue minidress with her nearly-black tresses, styling the dark locks in a long single ponytail with face-framing curtain bangs. — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 19 Sep. 2026 The garment is romantic, like something a princess might wear to the ball, slightly mirroring Cinderella’s signature baby blue ballgown. — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 14 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for baby blue

Word History

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of baby blue was in 1859

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Baby blue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/baby%20blue. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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