Babel
English
Etymology
From Latin Babel, from Biblical Hebrew בָּבֶל (bāḇel, “Babylon”), from Akkadian 𒆍𒀭𒊏𒆠 (Bābilim); in Genesis associated with the idea of confusion. Doublet of Babylon.
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈbeɪ.bl̩/
Audio (Southern England): (file) - (General American) IPA(key): /ˈbæb.l̩/
- (Canada) IPA(key): /ˈbeɪ.bl̩/, /ˈbæb.l̩/
- Rhymes: -eɪbəl, -æbəl
Proper noun
Babel
- (biblical) The city and tower in the land of Shinar where the confusion of languages took place, according to the Bible.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 11:9, column 2:
- Therefore is the name of it called Babel […]
Translations
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Noun
Babel (plural Babels)
- A confused mixture of sounds and voices, especially in different languages. [from 16th c.]
- 1913 June–December, Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Return of Tarzan, New York, N.Y.: A[lexander] C[aldwell] McClurg, published March 1915, →OCLC:
- As the three were making their way through the crowds of marketers, camels, donkeys, and horses that filled the market place with a confusing babel of sounds, Abdul plucked at Tarzan’s sleeve.
- 2007, Edwin Mullins, The Popes of Avignon, Blue Bridge, published 2008, page 48:
- A babel of languages could be heard in the streets and the squares, mingling with the local Provençal.
- A place or scene of noise and confusion. [from 16th c.]
- A tall, looming structure. [from 16th c.]
Alternative forms
Derived terms
See also
- Wiktionary Babel for user pages
Anagrams
Dutch
Etymology
From Middle Dutch babel, from Latin Babel, from Biblical Hebrew בָּבֶל (bāḇel, “Babylon”), from Akkadian 𒆍𒀭𒊏𒆠 (Bābilim).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈbaː.bəl/
Audio: (file) - Hyphenation: Ba‧bel
Proper noun
Babel n
- (historical) Babylon (an ancient city, the ancient capital of Babylonia in modern Iraq, built on the banks of the Euphrates)
- Synonym: Babylon
Derived terms
Related terms
German
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈbaːbl̩/
Audio: (file)
Proper noun
Babel n (proper noun, genitive Babels or (optionally with an article) Babel)
Declension
Derived terms
Further reading
Indonesian
Pronunciation
- (Standard Indonesian) IPA(key): /ˈbabəl/ [ˈba.bəl]
- Rhymes: -abəl
- Syllabification: Ba‧bel
Etymology 1
From Dutch Babel, from Middle Dutch babel, from Latin Babel, from Biblical Hebrew בָּבֶל (bāḇel, “Babylon”), from Akkadian 𒆍𒀭𒊏𒆠 (Bābilim).
Proper noun
Babêl
Derived terms
- menara Babel
Related terms
Etymology 2
Proper noun
Babèl
- abbreviation of Kepulauan Bangka Belitung (“Bangka Belitung Islands”)
Further reading
- “Babel” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.
- Babel on the Indonesian Wikipedia.Wikipedia id
Polish
Etymology
Learned borrowing from Latin Babel. Doublet of Babilon and Babilonia.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈba.bɛl/
Audio: (file) - Rhymes: -abɛl
- Syllabification: Ba‧bel
Proper noun
Babel f (indeclinable)
- (heraldry, historical) Polish coat of arms of the nobility granted in the Austrian Partition
- (biblical) Babel (city and tower in the land of Shinar where the confusion of languages took place, according to the Bible)
- Synonym: wieża Babel
Further reading
- Babel in Polish dictionaries at PWN
Spanish
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin Babel, from Biblical Hebrew בָּבֶל (bāḇel, “Babylon”), from Akkadian 𒆍𒀭𒊏𒆠 (Bābilim, “gate of God”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /baˈbel/ [baˈβ̞el]
- Rhymes: -el
- Syllabification: Ba‧bel
Proper noun
Babel ?
- Babel (city and tower)