/ˈbeɪ.bl̩/, /ˈbæb.l̩/, /ˈbeɪ.bl̩/
OriginFrom Latin Babel, from Biblical Hebrew בָּבֶל (bāḇel, “Babylon”), from Akkadian 𒆍𒀭𒊏𒆠 (Bābilim); in Genesis associated with the idea of confusion. Doublet of Babylon.
- The city and tower in the land of Shinar where the confusion of languages took place, according to the Bible.
“Therefore is the name of it called Babel[…]”
- A confused mixture of sounds and voices, especially in different languages.
“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.”
“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.
- A tall, looming structure.
- uncountable, usuallyA confused noise made by a number of voices.
“I closed the door hurriedly on the babel and groped my way back to bed. At that moment bed seemed to be the one safe, comforting thing in my whole baffling environment.”
“[…] up in front the third and fourth class passengers were making a babel of noise as they either detrained or entrained together with their large families and strange collection of parcels, bundles a”
FormsBabels(plural) · babel(alternative) · babels(plural)