A baby is a very young child, especially one who cannot yet walk or talk. As an adjective, it can mean very small or young, like baby birds.
Probably from Middle English “babe,” a word imitating baby talk sounds like “ba-ba.” The form “baby” added the “-y” ending often used for familiar or affectionate words.
The word for the youngest humans likely grew out of the sounds they themselves make. Language here is almost a mirror: babies name themselves, in a way, with their own early noises.
“Baby” has been heavily gendered in multiple ways: as a term of endearment (often toward women), as a role strongly associated with motherhood and women’s identities, and in phrases that trivialize adults (e.g., “crybaby”). It reflects traditional expectations around caregiving and femininity.
Use “baby” literally for infants, and avoid using it as a diminutive or unwanted term of address for adults; when discussing caregiving, recognize that people of all genders can be primary caregivers.
["infant","child","term of endearment (if clearly consensual)"]
Women’s expertise in infant care, health, and early education has historically been treated as ‘natural’ rather than professional, despite forming the basis of pediatrics, developmental psychology, and public health advances.
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