babau

Inherited from Latin balbus. (Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

• IPA^(key): (Central) [bəˈβaw]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic) [bəˈbaw]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [baˈbaw]

• Audio (Catalonia):

  (file)

babau (feminine babaua, masculine plural babaus, feminine plural babaues)

1. silly

• tortuga babaua

babau m (plural babaus, feminine babaua, feminine plural babaues)

1. fool, idiot
2. (dialectal) bogeyman

• “babau”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

• IPA^(key): /baˈba.u/^[1]
• Rhymes: -au
• Hyphenation: ba‧bà‧u

babau m (invariable)

1. ogre
2. bogeyman

   Synonyms: castigamatti, spauracchio, orco

3. (obsolete) Muppet (a puppet by Jim Henson)

   Synonym: Muppet

From Old Occitan baboe, babau, from Latin babalus.

• IPA^(key): /ba.ˈbaw/

• Audio:

  (file)

babau

1. stupid, idiotic

• bèstia
• nèci

babau m

1. bug, insect
2. (Coccinella septempunctata)^[1] seven-spot ladybird
3. bogeyman

• [1]: bestiona
• [2]: babau de Nòstre Sénher, buòu de Nòstre Sénher, catarineta, galineta, peperin, peperon, perdigoleta, pimparèla, volàguiraud

• babau de Nòstre Sénher

babau f

1. alternative form of baboe

From Latin babalus.

babau m

1. foolish, idiotic, stupid

• Occitan: babau

From Old Tupi mbau.

babau

1. (Brazil) used when something is lost forever
   • 1999, Marceu Vieira, Nada, não: e outras crônicas, Mauad, page 68:

     O menino podia descobrir seu segredo, ficar enojado e aí babau _ as pretensões infantis de Heleninha iriam para o brejo.

     The boy could find out her secret, become disgusted and then babau _ little Helen’s childish pretensions would go down the drain.

   • Bernardo Élis, A enxada in 2006 (originally 1976), Alfredo Bosi, O conto brasileiro contemporâneo, Editora Cultrix, page 101:

     A notícia espantou o vigário que, em pessoa, acompanhado de Piano, revirou o porão da casa e rebuscou o quintal. Infelizmente, babau enxada!

     The news surprised the vicar who, in person, accompanied by Piano, combed the house’s basement and searched the backyard. Unfortunately, babau hoe!

• IPA^(key): /baˈbaw/

babau

1. alternative form of baubau