baby talk

noun

1

a

: the consciously imperfect or altered speech used by adults in speaking to small children

b

: the syntactically imperfect speech or phonetically modified forms used by small children learning to talk

2

: oversimplified speech or writing

Examples of baby talk in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These rituals can include nicknames, baby talk, weird accents, secret signals, or recurring references that would make absolutely no sense to anyone else. — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026

With guitar in hand, Sandler sings and does baby talk in the way that audiences have come to expect from his work. — Will Digravio, TIME, 21 Feb. 2025

Interpretation isn’t baby talk but, rather, works for all audiences except children, theology professors, lapsed Mormons, and resolute cynics. — Brian T. Allen, National Review, 20 Jan. 2024

His mother, Veronica Farrish, refused to let family members use baby talk with him. — Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for baby talk

• aftershock
• antiknock
• arawak
• hollyhock
• interlock
• manioc
• shuttlecock
• tomahawk
• weathercock
• alcock
• beanstalk
• bedrock

Kids Definition

baby talk

noun

1

: the speech used by very young children learning to talk

2

: speech like baby talk sometimes used by adults to speak to very young children

Medical Definition

baby talk

noun

1

: the syntactically imperfect speech or phonetically modified forms used by small children learning to talk

2

: the consciously imperfect or altered speech often used by adults in speaking to small children