Baby
/ˈbeɪ.bi/noun
A very young child or infant; also used informally for a loved person or thing.
Did you know?“Baby” began as nursery speech, but it spread into adult language so widely that it now works as a term of affection, proof that the simplest sounds can become socially powerful words.
Etymological Timeline
Middle English
English
babi
“A small child; a term from nursery speech”
Late Middle English
English
baby
“A very young child”
Early Modern English
English
baby
“An infant; also a term of endearment”
Modern English
English
baby
“An infant or young child; by extension, a beloved person or object”