babe

[ beyb ]

noun

1. a baby or child.

   Synonyms: nursling, tot, infant, toddler

2. an innocent or inexperienced person.
3. Usually Babe. Southern U.S. (used, often before the surname, as a familiar name for a boy or man, especially the youngest of a family.)
4. Slang.
   1. Sometimes Disparaging and Offensive. a girl or woman, especially an attractive one.
   2. an attractive young man.
   3. Sometimes Babe. an affectionate or familiar term of address (sometimes offensive when used to strangers, casual acquaintances, subordinates, etc., especially by a male to a female).

babe

/ beɪb /

noun

1. a baby
2. informal.
   a naive, gullible, or unsuspecting person (often in the phrase a babe in arms )
3. informal.
   a young woman or man perceived as being sexually attractive

Word History and Origins

Origin of babe¹

First recorded in 1150–1200; 1915–20 babe fordef 4; Middle English; early Middle English baban, probably nursery word in origin

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. babe in the woods, an innocent, unsuspecting person, especially one likely to be victimized by others: Also babe in the wood.

   Some highly informed people are mere babes in the woods where the stock market is concerned.

Example Sentences

In comparison, Kit — always lamenting living in her sister’s shadow as a “chick surfer who wasn’t a babe” — is eclipsed by Nina’s presence.

From Washington Post

In Ex Machina, Oscar Isaac memorably played a reclusive search-engine CEO whose only companions are model-gorgeous android babes.

From Time

She’s not a sexy babe, she’s a woman in her 60s, she’s not wearing tons of makeup — for that film to become a mainstream awards contender is incredible.

From Washington Post

These buoyant babes can heft the equivalent of 70 large semis with less fuel, and they’re especially good at carrying heavy cargo like jetty rocks or lumber.

From Voice of San Diego

Dorothy, who’s a preternaturally hot babe of 51, is there to pick up a bed partner.

From Washington Post

In the note, Babe asked to see Leslie one last time before he left New York City forever.

From The Daily Beast

He was probably the biggest sporting hero of the decade—more popular at his peak than even Babe Ruth.

From The Daily Beast

One afternoon, with [Babe] Dahlgren near him in the dugout, a photographer asked Lou if he could take a photo of the two of them.

From The Daily Beast

The Babe showed up, too, arriving late, as usual, and looking tanned as a lifeguard.

From The Daily Beast

The Babe walked over to the stooped figure at the microphone and threw his arms around Lou's neck.

From The Daily Beast

He burst into a loud laugh, clapped his hands, and danced before the delighted babe.

From Project Gutenberg

The motherly woman received the babe instinctively and cast aside the travelling-rug in which he was enveloped.

From Project Gutenberg

After all, here was a babe equipped to face the exigencies of a censorious world; in looks and apparel a credit to any father.

From Project Gutenberg

He breathed fierce and honest anathema on the heads of the bowelless fiends who had abandoned the babe to its doom.

From Project Gutenberg

Here Letty drew the coverlet from the face of the sleeping babe, and displayed his chubby proportions with maternal pride.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bathing beauty
• beauty queen
• cover girl
• cutie
• cutie-pie
• doll
• dollface
• fox
• glamor girl
• good-looking woman
• pin-up
• tomato