How to Pronounce Baby

To pronounce "baby", say BABY — one syllable, IPA /ˈbeɪbi/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

baby

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Accent

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Speed

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Syllable

Letters

/ˈbeɪbi/

IPA

"baby" is a single-syllable word — say it in one clean beat. It rhymes with maybe and crybaby, if that helps it stick.

noun

A very young human, particularly from birth to a couple of years old or until walking is fully mastered.
Any very young animal, especially a vertebrate; many species have specific names for their babies, such as kittens for the babies of cats, puppies for the babies of dogs, and chickens for the babies of birds. See for more.

verb

To coddle; to pamper somebody like an infant.
To tend (something) with care; to be overly attentive to (something), fuss over.

adjective

Of a child: very young; of the age when he or she would be termed a baby or infant.
“a baby boy”
Of an animal: young.
“a baby elephant”

Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

How many syllables are in "baby"?▾

"Baby" has one syllable.

What is the IPA transcription of "baby"?▾

The IPA transcription of "baby" is /ˈbeɪbi/.

What does "baby" mean?▾

Baby: A very young human, particularly from birth to a couple of years old or until walking is fully mastered.

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