baby

I

(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)

n. infant, babe, child, tot, kid (inf.); nursling, suckling; off-spring. See youth. — v. t. pamper. See leniency.

II

(Roget's IV) modif.

1. [Infantile]

Syn. youthful, babyish, juvenile; see childish 1 .

2. [Small]

Syn. diminutive, miniature, tiny; see little 1 .

n.

1. [An infant]

Syn. infant, newborn, babe, nursling, suckling, babe in arms, neonate, preemie*, child, toddler, tot, youngling, brat, bairn, young one, little one, papoose, bambino (Italian), enfant (French), kid*, cherub*, pledge of love*, little stranger*, little newcomer*, (little) accident*, bundle from heaven*, bundle of joy*, another mouth to feed*; see also child .

Ant. adult, adolescent, grown-up.

2. [The youngest or smallest of a group]

Syn. junior, youngest, the baby of the family*; see sense 1.

3. [A beginner]

Syn. learner, novice, apprentice; see amateur .

4. [A timid or helpless person]

Syn. crybaby, coward, sissy*, wimp*; see coward , weakling .

v.

Syn. pamper, coddle, pet, spoil, dandle, nurse, cherish, foster, cuddle, make much of, cosset, humor, indulge, mollycoddle; see also humor .

See Synonym Study at humor .

III

(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus)

I

n.

1. infant newborn, babe, neonate, *bambino, papoose, tot, nursling, nipper, toddler. ''It is all gut and squall.''—Charles Brown. ''An inestimable blessing and bother.''—Mark Twain.

2. sniveler whiner, crybaby, *wimp.

WORD FIND

• abandoned and found: foundling

• ailment: croup

• bathtub: bathinette

• bed: cradle, bassinet

• bounce on one’s knee or swing up and down in one’s arms: dandle

• breastfeeder, hired: wet nurse

• carriage: buggy, pram, stroller, perambulator

• chewy toy: teething ring, pacifier

• contented, happy cry: crow

• cry loudly: squall

• cry weakly: whimper, mewl

• dead at birth: stillborn

• diaper irritation: diaper rash

• embryo implant: test-tube baby

• foreskin removal from male: circumcision

• illegitimate: love child, bastard

• multiple: twins, triplets, quadruplets, quintuplets, sextuplets

• murder of: infanticide

• outfit: layette

• premature infant: preemie

• rubber soother: pacifier

• soft spot on head: fontanelle

• song: lullaby

• talk: babble, coo, gurgle

• tooth eruption: teething

• walking: toddling

• whine and whimper: pule

see birth, child, children, pregnancy

II

v.

spoil, indulge, dote on, pamper, coddle, mollycoddle, overprotect, shelter, smother.

III

a.

small, wee, miniature, tiny, young, teensy, pocket-sized.

ANT.: large, mature

IV

(Roget's Thesaurus II) I noun 1. A very young child: babe, bambino, infant, neonate, newborn, nursling. Idiom: bundle of joy. See KIN, YOUTH. 2. A person who behaves in a childish, weak, or spoiled way: milksop, milquetoast, mollycoddle, weakling. Idiom: mama's boy (or girl). See YOUTH. II verb To treat with indulgence and often overtender care: cater, coddle, cosset, indulge, mollycoddle, overindulge, pamper, spoil. See TREAT WELL.