Word
babble
Phoneticsbab·ble, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈbæbəɫ/
UK/bˈæbəl/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. a lot of words that are hard to understand because they are spoken too fast or are not clear. It can also describe the sound of water or the way a baby talks before they know real words.
n. a mass of confused, unintelligible, or meaningless sounds or words. Often refers to the incoherent speech of a child or the rapid, unintelligible speech of an adult.
Examples
“The background babble of the crowd made it hard to hear.”
“Despite the constant babble of the radio in the background, she managed to finish her report on time.”
“The poet used the rhythmic babble of the river to mirror the chaotic thoughts of the protagonist as he wandered through the city at night.”
Examples
simple
“The background babble of the crowd made it hard to hear.”
contextual
“Despite the constant babble of the radio in the background, she managed to finish her report on time.”
complex
“The poet used the rhythmic babble of the river to mirror the chaotic thoughts of the protagonist as he wandered through the city at night.”
Real-World Examples
“Inside, her three-year-old wears a pink tutu and excitedly babbles as she cuddles her toy doll.” Etymology
From Middle English babelen, from Old English bæblian, also wæflian (“to talk foolishly”), from Proto-West Germanic bablōn, wablōn, variants of babalōn, from Proto-Germanic babalōną (“to chatter”), from Proto-Indo-European bʰa-bʰa-, perhaps a reduplication of Proto-Indo-European bʰeh₂- (“to say”), or a variant of Proto-Indo-European baba- (“to talk vaguely, mumble”), or a merger of the two, possibly ultimately onomatopoeic/mimicry of infantile sounds (compare babe, baby). Cognate with Saterland Frisian babbelje (“to babble”), West Frisian babbelje (“to babble”), Dutch babbelen (“to babble, chat”), German Low German babbeln (“to babble”), German babbeln (“to babble”), Danish bable, bavle (“to babble”), Swedish babbla (“to babble”), Icelandic babla (“to babble”). Unrelated to Babel.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/babble