बाबू

Hindi

Etymology

Inherited from Ashokan Prakrit *𑀩𑀸𑀩𑁆𑀩- (*bābba-), imitative of baby talk.

Pronunciation

  • (Delhi) IPA(key): /bɑː.buː/, [bäː.buː]

Noun

बाबू • (bābūm (Urdu spelling بابو)

  1. papa, father
  2. clerk
    सरकारी बाबूsarkārī bābūgovernmental clerk
  3. (polite, to elders) sir, mister

Declension

Declension of बाबू (masc ū-stem)
singular plural
direct बाबू
bābū
बाबू
bābū
oblique बाबू
bābū
बाबुओं
bābuõ
vocative बाबू
bābū
बाबुओ
bābuo

Descendants

  • Jarawa: babu ((govt.) official)

References

  • Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “bāppa”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press