Babel

See also: babel, bąbel, and Bąbel

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

1. (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

Biblical city and tower

• Arabic: بَابِل (ar) f (bābil)
• Dutch: Babel n
• Franco-Provençal: Babel
• German: Babel (de) m
• Indonesian: Babel
• Japanese: バベル (Baberu)
• Korean: 바벨 (ko) (Babel)
• Lithuanian: Babelis m
• Marathi: बॅबेल (bĕbel)
• Ottoman Turkish: بابل (Bābil)
• Polish: Babel (pl) f
• Spanish: Babel ?

Noun

Babel (plural Babels)

1. 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.

2. A place or scene of noise and confusion. [from 16th c.]
3. A tall, looming structure. [from 16th c.]

Alternative forms

• babel

Derived terms

• Babeldom
• Babelesque
• Babel fish
• Babelian
• Babelish
• babelization
• tower of Babel

 

See also

• Wiktionary Babel for user pages

Anagrams

• Bable, Labbe

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

1. Babel

   Synonym: Babylon

Derived terms

• Babels

Related terms

• Babylon

German

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbaːbl̩/

• Audio:

  (file)

Proper noun

Babel n (proper noun, genitive Babels or (optionally with an article) Babel)

1. (biblical) Babel

Declension

Declension of Babel [sg-only, neuter, toponym]

	singular
	def.	noun
nominative	das	Babel
genitive	des	Babels, Babel1
dative	dem	Babel
accusative	das	Babel

¹Optionally with an article.

Derived terms

• Sündenbabel

Further reading

• “Babel” in Duden online
• “Babel” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

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

1. Babel

Derived terms

• menara Babel

Related terms

• Babilon
• Babilonia

Etymology 2

Proper noun

Babèl

1. 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)

1. (heraldry, historical) Polish coat of arms of the nobility granted in the Austrian Partition
2. (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 ?

1. Babel (city and tower)

Derived terms

• babélico
• Torre de Babel

 

Related terms

• Babilonia