# babe

/ˈbeɪb/ (US) · /bˈeɪb/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/babe
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. term of endearment

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

a name you call someone you love, like a boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse.

For teachers: a term of endearment used between romantic partners.

- Hey babe, do you want to go out for dinner tonight?
- She habitually addressed her husband as babe, a term of endearment they had used since their first year of dating.

Usage: Commonly used as a vocative to address a romantic partner directly.

### 2. attractive person

noun · CEFR B2 · Slang · Informal

a slang word for a person who is very physically attractive.

For teachers: a person, typically a woman, perceived as being physically or sexually attractive.

- He thought the new lead singer was a total babe.
- The marketing campaign was criticised for relying on images of babes in bikinis rather than focusing on the product's actual features.

Teaching tip: While common in casual speech, this can be perceived as objectifying or superficial depending on the context.

### 3. an infant

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary · Archaic

a baby; this is an old-fashioned or poetic way to say infant.

For teachers: an infant or very young child; now largely restricted to poetic, religious, or literary contexts.

- The painting showed a mother holding her tiny babe in her arms.
- The poet described the babe sleeping soundly in the cradle, unaware of the storm raging outside the cottage walls.

Usage: Most frequently encountered in the idiom 'babe in the woods', referring to an innocent or naive person.

### 4. a nickname

noun · CEFR B2 · American English

a famous nickname, most notably for the baseball player Babe Ruth.

For teachers: a specific nickname or given name, most prominently associated with American cultural figures.

- Babe Ruth is one of the most famous players in the history of baseball.
- The legendary status of Babe Ruth ensured that the nickname became synonymous with power hitting in American sports culture.

## Examples

- I'll be home late tonight, babe.
- He bought a bouquet of roses for his babe to celebrate their first anniversary together.
- The poet uses the term to describe a sleeping babe, evoking a sense of innocence and vulnerability that contrasts with the harsh winter landscape described in the following stanza.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.