Babel

A confused mixture of sounds and voices, especially in different languages.

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈbeɪ.bəl/ · Context: Received Pronunciation
  • IPA: /ˈbeɪ.bəl/ · Context: General American
  • IPA: /ˈbæ.bəl/ · Context: General American
  • IPA: /ˈbeɪ.bəl/ · Context: Canada
  • IPA: /ˈbæ.bəl/ · Context: Canada
  • Rhymes: -eɪbəl
  • Rhymes: -æbəl

Proper noun

  1. The city and tower in the land of Shinar where the confusion of languages took place, according to the Bible.

    biblical · Topics: biblical, lifestyle, religion

    • Therefore is the name of it called Babel[…] - 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], Genesis 11:9, column 2

Origin

From Latin Babel, from Biblical Hebrew בָּבֶל (bāḇel, “Babylon”), from Akkadian 𒆍𒀭𒊏𒆠 (Bābilim); in Genesis associated with the idea of confusion. Doublet of Babylon.

Noun

  1. 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. - 1913 June–December, Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Return of Tarzan, New York, N.Y.: A[lexander] C[aldwell] McClurg, published March 1915
    • A babel of languages could be heard in the streets and the squares, mingling with the local Provençal. - 2007, Edwin Mullins, The Popes of Avignon, Blue Bridge, published 2008, page 48
  2. A place or scene of noise and confusion.
  3. A tall, looming structure.

Forms

Babels babel

Related

Wiktionary Babel for user pages

Derived

Babeldom Babelesque Babelian Babelish babelization tower of Babel