babbitt

¹

[ bab-it ]

noun

1. Babbitt metal.
2. a bearing or lining of Babbitt metal.

adjective

1. pertaining to or made of Babbitt metal.

verb (used with object)

1. to line, face, or furnish with Babbitt metal.

Babbitt

²

[ bab-it ]

noun

1. Irving, 1865–1933, U.S. educator and critic.
2. Milton Byron, 1916–2011, U.S. composer.
3. (italics) a novel (1922) by Sinclair Lewis.
4. (often lowercase) a self-satisfied person who conforms readily to conventional, middle-class ideas and ideals, especially of business and material success; Philistine: from the main character in the novel by Sinclair Lewis.

Babbitt

¹

/ ˈbæbɪt /

noun

1. derogatory.
   a narrow-minded and complacent member of the middle class

babbitt

²

/ ˈbæbɪt /

verb

1. tr to line (a bearing) or face (a surface) with Babbitt metal or a similar soft alloy

Babbitt

1. (1922) A novel by Sinclair Lewis . The title character , an American real estate agent in a small city, is portrayed as a crass, loud, overoptimistic boor who thinks only about money and speaks in clichés, such as “You've gotta have pep, by golly!”

Notes

By extension, a “Babbitt” is a narrow-minded, materialistic businessman.

Derived Forms

• ˈBabbittry, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of babbitt¹

First recorded in 1900–05; short for Babbitt metal

Word History and Origins

Origin of babbitt¹

C20: after George Babbitt , central character in the novel Babbitt (1922) by Sinclair Lewis

Example Sentences

By “babbitt” he no doubt meant that Rice should install the metal casings in which the bearings were to sit.

From Literature

To refit the brasses to the jaws of the strap, the flanges which do not as a rule wear much are usually tinned with a soldering iron, and given a lining of babbitt metal.

From Project Gutenberg

All bearings are of high-grade babbitt, die cast, and are interchangeable and easily replaced.

From Project Gutenberg

If babbitt is bored dry, balls of metal tend to form on the tool point and score the work.

From Project Gutenberg

Next in importance is its use in the making of solder and of babbitt or bearing metal.

From Project Gutenberg