babyishadj.
/ˈbeɪbɪɪʃ/, U.S. /ˈbeɪbiɪʃ/ Usually derogatory.
Characteristic of or suitable for a baby or young child; infantile, excessively childish; unsophisticated, silly. Also: resembling (that of) a baby or young child.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > foolishness, folly > childish folly, childishness > [adjective]
childishc1405
indigest1423
bairnly1533
babish?1552
babished1563
babyish1646
puerilea1680
chitty1755
jejune1898
immature1902
1646 J. Vicars Burning-bush not Consumed 183 Crucifixes, Images, and many Popish Books..were..reduced into ashes by the fire, the best use that could bee made of such Roman Babylonish babyish fooleries.
1688 J. Bunyan Solomon's Temple xlix. 9 Babes..have..babyish tricks..their childish talk and frompered carriage must be borne withal.
1753 S. Richardson Hist. Sir Charles Grandison I. xv. 92 To me she has a babyish look, especially when she smiles.
1782 F. Burney Cecilia I. v. 70 That babyish vanity which is a always gratified by exciting attention.
1868 M. E. Grant Duff Polit. Surv. 159 Too babyish to deserve even the semblance of consideration.
1889 Catholic World June 338 She had a sweet, red-lipped mouth, and a mouthful of small, milky teeth which gave her an innocent, babyish look when she smiled.
1934 P. Lynch Turf-cutter's Donkey xix. 191 He always declared that dolls were silly, babyish things, and he was surprised at Eileen bothering with them.
1960 J. Brophy Front Door Key 179 She had compromised with the present, babyish neo-1920's fashion, refusing to wear..very short and very tight skirts.
1991 Premiere Sept. 33/1 The English actress Peggy Cummins has a babyish, avid face with incongruous pencil eyebrows.
2003 Guardian 5 July (Guide Suppl.) 87/3 The shrinks cite his manic energy, short attention span and babyish, inappropriate behaviour as possible evidence of attention deficit disorder.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2011; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adj.1646