*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of babes

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗
noun

plural of babe

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗
noun

Alternative form of babe (“as a term of endearment to a loved one”).

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰā- Proto-Germanic *bō-redup. Proto-Germanic *babô Proto-West Germanic *babō Old English *baba Middle English babe English babe English -syclip. English -s English babes From babe + -s (hypocoristic suffix).

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *bʰā-\nProto-Germanic *bō-redup.\nProto-Germanic *babô\nProto-West Germanic *babō\nOld English *baba\nMiddle English babe\nEnglish babe\nEnglish -syclip.\nEnglish -s\nEnglish babes\n[Appendix:Glossary#reduplication|Reduplication]] of\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"boy\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"redlink\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*bʰā-\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*bō-\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"reduplication\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*babô\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*babō\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"*baba\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"babe\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"babe\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }, { \"id\" : \"hypocoristic\", \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"clip.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Clipping of\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-sy\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"clipping\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-s\", \"lang\" : \"en\", \"pos\" : \"hypocoristic suffix\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"babes\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"babes\">\nFrom babe + -s (hypocoristic suffix)."
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      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/bō-"
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Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for babes →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger
Machine-source provenance
Source SHA-256
5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run
73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID
w-YmFiZXM