baby
gb/bˈeɪbi/ us/bˈeɪbi/
A1
English
~ 900
baba, drágám, bébi, édesem, gyerekként kezel, babusgat, pátyolgat, valakinek a szíve csücske, dédelgetett projekt, szívügy
NOUN
A1
1
baba
A1
Usage pattern:
a [adjective] baby
The baby was sleeping peacefully in her crib.
A baba békésen aludt a kiságyában.
They brought their baby home from the hospital yesterday.
Tegnap hazahozták a babájukat a kórházból.
He held the baby gently in his arms.
The baby started crying when she was hungry.
Learner examples
The baby is sleeping.
A baba alszik.
She has a baby boy.
Kisfia van.
I can see a baby in the stroller.
The baby is crying.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'baby' with 'child'; 'child' can refer to older kids, while 'baby' usually means under one or two years old.
Meaning
A very young human being
Collocations
newborn baby
|baby boy
|baby girl
|baby care
|baby clothes
Synonyms
infant (More formal and often used in medical or official contexts.)
Antonyms
adult (An adult is fully grown, the opposite of a baby.)
Themes
family
|daily life
|health
|body
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A very young child who has just been born or is not yet able to walk or talk much.
A very young child, especially one newly or recently born.
NOUN
A2
INFORMAL
2
Usage pattern:
Hey, baby
Hey baby, how was your day?
Szia, drágám, milyen volt a napod?
I love you, baby.
Szeretlek, drágám.
Baby, can you pass me the phone?
Learner examples
Hi baby, how are you?
Szia, drágám, hogy vagy?
I love you, baby.
Szeretlek, drágám.
Baby, come here.
Common mistake:
Learners may think it always refers to a child; in this sense it's for adults in a relationship.
Meaning
Affectionate name for partner
Collocations
hey baby
|love you baby
Synonyms
darling (More traditional and slightly more formal.)
Themes
relationships
|emotions
|communication
Definition
A sweet name people use for someone they love, like a boyfriend or girlfriend.
An informal term of endearment used for a romantic partner.
VERB
B1
INFORMAL
3
Usage pattern:
to baby [someone]
Don't baby me—I can take care of myself.
Ne kezelj gyerekként — elboldogulok egyedül.
She babies her son even though he's already ten.
Túlságosan babusgatja a fiát, pedig már tízéves.
Stop babying your employees; let them solve problems themselves.
Learner examples
Don't baby me.
Ne kezelj gyerekként.
She babies her brother too much.
Túlságosan babusgatja a testvérét.
He babies his dog.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'baby' as a verb with 'have a baby'; as a verb here it means 'treat like a baby', not 'give birth'.
Meaning
Treat too protectively
Collocations
stop babying me
|babying your kids
Synonyms
pamper (Often implies giving too much comfort or luxury.)
Antonyms
neglect (To give too little care or attention.)
Themes
behavior
|relationships
|communication
Definition
To care for someone too much, like they are a baby, even if they are not.
To treat someone with extreme care or attention as if they were a small child.
NOUN
B2
INFORMAL
4
Usage pattern:
That [thing] is my baby
This car is my baby—I’ve had it since college.
Ez az autó a szívem csücske — még egyetemista korom óta megvan.
The new app is her baby; she designed it herself.
Az új app az ő dédelgetett projektje; ő maga tervezte.
That guitar has been his baby for years.
Learner examples
My car is my baby.
Az autóm a szívem csücske.
This shop is his baby.
Ez a bolt a szívügye.
Her idea is her baby.
Common mistake:
Learners may think it refers literally to a child; here it's figurative for an object or project.
Meaning
Something valued like a child
Collocations
my first car was my baby
|this project is my baby
Synonyms
pride and joy (Emphasizes deep satisfaction and happiness from possession or creation.)
Themes
emotions
|personal life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Something you love and care about very much, like it is your own child.
Something that someone cares about deeply, often because they created it or it is personally important.
Grammar
Dictionary form
baby
IPA
GB/bˈeɪbi/
US/bˈeɪbi/
Syllables & stress
baby (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (baby)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: baby
- Plural: babies
Verb
- Base: baby
- 3rd Person Singular: babies
- Present Participle: babying
- Past: babied
Word family
Forms
babies
noun
babying
verb
babied
verb
Core family
babysit
verb A2
babysitter
noun A2
Related words
babyish
adjective
Advanced or less common
babyhood
noun
Expressions
cry like a baby
1/kɹˈaɪ lˈaɪk ə bˈeɪbi/
fixed phrase
Cry loudly like an infant
To cry very loudly and without control, like a small child does.
Examples
- He cried like a baby when his team lost.
- She cried like a baby after watching the sad movie.
have a baby
1/hˈæv ə bˈeɪbi/
fixed phrase
Give birth to a child
To give birth to a child.
Examples
- She’s going to have a baby in June.
- They had their first baby last year.
like a baby
1/lˈaɪk ə bˈeɪbi/
fixed phrase
In the way an infant would
In the same way that a very young child does something, often sleeping peacefully or crying loudly.
Examples
- He slept like a baby after the long trip.
- She cried like a baby when she heard the news.
throw the baby out with the bathwater
1/θɹˈoʊ ðə bˈeɪbi ˈaʊt wˈɪθ ðə bˈæθwˌeɪtɚ/
idiom
Discard something valuable by mistake
To remove something good while trying to remove something bad.
Examples
- In trying to reform the system, they threw the baby out with the bathwater.
- Be careful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater when making changes.