The quality of being childish, immature, or overly dependent, like a baby.
From 'babyish' (Old English 'babe' + suffix '-ish' meaning 'like') combined with '-ness' to create an abstract noun. The word evolved from Middle English to describe behaviors that seem unsuitable for older children or adults.
This word shows how English creates abstract nouns by layering suffixes—the '-ish' makes something sound immature, and '-ness' turns that adjective into a concept you can discuss. It's a great example of how language lets us name invisible qualities.
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