noun | verb
babybaby1 /ˈbeɪbi/ ●●● S1 W1 noun (plural babies) [countable] 1
CHILD a very young child who has not yet learned to walk or talk: The baby was crying upstairs. Let me know as soon as the baby is born. My friend Jill just had a baby! When is your baby due (=expected to be born)? They have a new baby girl. We haven’t gotten much sleep with a newborn baby in the house. She gave birth to the baby at the hospital.THESAURUSnewborn (also newborn baby) – a baby that has just been born: Newborns spend a lot of time sleeping.infant formal – a very young baby who cannot talk or walk yet: She held the infant in her arms until he fell asleep.toddler – a young child who is learning to walk, especially a child from around 18 months to 3 years old: When my son was a toddler, he wouldn’t eat vegetables.fetus – a baby that is developing in its mother’s body. Used especially by doctors and in science: Alcohol may harm a developing fetus.embryo – a baby that is in the earliest stages of development inside its mother’s body. Used especially in scientific and medical language: When it is first formed, the embryo is only half a millimeter long.2ANIMAL a very young animal: There were three baby birds in the nest.3NAME FOR somebody spoken a)a way of speaking to someone that you love: Bye, baby, I’ll be back by six. b)a way of speaking to a young woman you do not know, which is usually considered offensive4YOUNGEST the youngest child in a family, or the youngest person in a group: Claire is the baby of the family.5SILLY PERSON spoken someone who cries, complains, gets scared, etc. like a young child, used especially by children: Don’t be such a baby.6RESPONSIBILITY informal something special that someone has developed or is responsible for: The new jazz band is David Turner’s baby.7baby carrots/corn/vegetables a carrot, etc. that is smaller than normal8this/that baby spoken a thing, especially a piece of equipment or a machine that you think is very good: This baby will do 0–60 mph in 6 seconds.[Origin: 1300–1400 babe]COLLOCATIONSverbsa baby is born/a baby arrives We want to paint the room green before the baby arrives.be having/expecting a baby (=be pregnant) My wife’s expecting a baby.be carrying a baby (=have a baby inside your body) I finally told him that I was carrying his baby.have a baby (also give birth to a baby formal) (=a woman produces a baby from her body) She had the baby at home.deliver a baby (=help a woman to give birth to a baby) Usually your baby will be delivered by a doctor.lose a baby (=have a baby that dies when it is born too soon) She was three months pregnant when she lost the baby.a baby cries/screams The baby cried all night.a baby moves/kicks (=inside the pregnant mother) I just felt the baby kick!change a baby (=change its diaper) Could you change the baby for me?adopt a baby (=legally arrange for another person’s child to become yours) They have a little girl of their own, and now they are adopting a baby.abandon a baby (=leave your baby somewhere because you do not want it) The mother had abandoned the baby outside the hospital.adjectivesa newborn baby There’s plenty of help and advice for people with newborn babies.a healthy baby We don’t care what sex it is – we just want a healthy baby.a little/tiny baby (=a very young baby) You used to wear this sweater when you were a little baby.an unborn baby (=not yet born) Drinking alcohol is bad for your unborn baby.a premature baby (=born before the normal time) Lesley’s baby was three weeks premature.a test-tube baby (=a baby made when scientists put the sperm and egg together and then put it into the mother’s body) The world’s first test-tube baby was born in 1978.a stillborn baby (=one that is born dead) Her first baby was stillborn.an unwanted baby Unwanted babies were frequently abandoned in the streets.baby + nounsa baby boy/girl She’s just had a beautiful healthy baby girl.a baby son/daughter/brother/sister My baby brother’s name is Ben.baby food/clothes/blanket etc. (=for a baby) Baby food is usually smooth in texture. noun | verb
babybaby2 verb (babies, babied, babying) [transitive] informal to treat someone or something with special care: You don’t have to baby me! I’m 24 years old.