Definition

1. Noun:

   • A very young child: An infant, typically from birth to about one year old, who has not yet begun to walk or talk.
   • A very young animal: A newborn or very young mammal.
   • An unborn child; a fetus: A developing human before birth.
   • The youngest member of a group: The most junior or youngest person in a family, team, or other unit.
   • An immature or childish person: An adult who behaves in a naive, helpless, or irresponsible manner.
   • A personal project or obsession: Something that someone cares for or is deeply involved in, as if it were their child.
   • (Informal) A term of endearment or address: Used for a loved one, such as a romantic partner, or (slang, often dated/offensive) as a term for an attractive young woman.

2. Verb:

   • To treat with excessive care or indulgence: To pamper, coddle, or overprotect someone.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • The baby began to cry again. (referring to an infant)
  • She held the baby in her arms.
  • We saw baby rabbits in the field. (referring to young animals)
  • I felt my baby move for the first time. (referring to an unborn child)
  • He's the baby of the office, even though he's 25. (referring to the youngest member)
  • Don't be such a baby—it's just a small scratch! (referring to a childish person)
  • This new initiative is the manager's baby. (referring to a personal project)

• Verb:

  • They baby their youngest child too much.
  • You shouldn't baby him; he needs to learn to be independent.

Advanced Usage

• "to be left holding the baby" (idiom): To be left with an unwanted responsibility.

  • After everyone else quit the project, I was left holding the baby.

• "to throw the baby out with the bathwater" (idiom): To discard something valuable while trying to get rid of something unwanted.

  • In reforming the system, we must be careful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Variants and Related Words

• Babyish (adj): Characteristic of or suitable for a baby; childish.
  • He has a babyish face.
• Babyhood (n): The state or period of being a baby; infancy.
• Babysit (v): To care for a child temporarily while the parents are away.
  • I need to babysit my niece tonight.

Synonyms

• Noun (infant): Newborn, infant, babe, tot.
• Noun (childish person): Crybaby, milksop.
• Verb: Pamper, coddle, spoil, indulge, mollycoddle.

Related Phrasal Verbs / Phrases

• Baby-sit: See 'babysit' under Variants.
• Baby talk: The simplified speech used by or to young children.
  • She used baby talk with her infant.

Related Idioms

• "Sleep like a baby": To sleep very soundly and peacefully.
  • After the long hike, I slept like a baby.
• "Baby steps": Very small, cautious steps or stages of progress.
  • Let's start with baby steps; don't try to change everything at once.

Noun

1. a project of personal concern to someone
   • this project is his baby
2. a very young mammal
   • baby rabbits
3. (slang) sometimes used as a term of address for attractive young women
4. an unborn child; a human fetus
   • I felt healthy and very feminine carrying the baby
   • it was great to feel my baby moving about inside
5. an immature childish person
   • he remained a child in practical matters as long as he lived
   • stop being a baby!
6. the youngest member of a group (not necessarily young)
   • the baby of the family
   • the baby of the Supreme Court
7. a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk
   • the baby began to cry again
   • she held the baby in her arms
   • it sounds simple, but when you have your own baby it is all so different

Verb

1. treat with excessive indulgence
   • grandparents often pamper the children
   • Let's not mollycoddle our students!