bassinette

A baby sleeps peacefully in a bassinette.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A baby's bed: "Bassinette" refers to a small, portable bed for an infant, often with a hood or canopy, typically used for the first few months of life. It is designed for sleeping or resting, and may be mounted on a stand or have wheels.

Usage Examples

• (A small bed for the baby.)
• (The baby's bed for rest.)
• (A bed with a hood or covering.)

Advanced Usage

• "Bassinette" as a historical term: In historical contexts, a bassinette might refer specifically to a wicker or woven basket with a hood, used as a cradle or portable crib.
  • The antique bassinette was made of woven willow and had a delicate hood. (A traditional woven baby bed.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bassinet (n): an alternative spelling of "bassinette," more common in modern English, referring to the same type of baby bed.

  • The hospital provided a small bassinet for the baby to sleep in. (A portable infant bed.)

• Cradle (n): a similar but slightly different baby bed, often rocking or swinging, whereas a bassinette is usually stationary or on wheels.

  • The cradle rocked gently as the baby slept, unlike the stationary bassinette. (A different style of baby bed.)

Synonyms

• Crib: a larger, stationary bed for older infants and toddlers, often with higher sides than a bassinette.
• Cot: a British term for a baby's bed, similar to a crib but sometimes smaller.

Related Idioms

• "To rock the bassinette": not a common idiom, but a poetic or informal phrase meaning to care for a very young infant.
  • She spent hours rocking the bassinette to soothe the crying baby. (Gently moving the baby's bed to comfort the child.)