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BAA

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baa¹

  • [bɑː] UK
  • [bæ] US
  • [bɑ] US
  • [bæ̰ː]
  • [bæ̰ˀæ̰ˀæ̰ˀæ̰ˀ]

Sounds like bah, bar (in some pronunciations) · Rhymes with -ɑː, -æ

Where it comes from

Compare German bäh, mäh; an imitative word.

Notes on phonological development

The pronunciation /bɑː/ is perhaps a development from earlier /bæː/ reflecting the shift of /æː/ to /ɑː/ during the 18th and 19th centuries. Compare Early Modern English bae, bea, both "to baa", respectively displaying the then current pronunciation of Middle English /aː/ as /æː/ and the failure of Middle English /ɛː/ to raise, and the replacement of mew with meow for another instance where recent sound change has made onomatopoeia opaque.

noun baas · bah

  1. onomatopoeic The characteristic cry or bleating of a sheep or (broader) a sheep or goat. Near-synonyms: bleat, bleating

interjection bah

  1. onomatopoeic The characteristic cry of a sheep or (broader) a sheep or goat.

verb baas · baaing · baaed · bah

  1. To make the characteristic cry of a sheep or (broader) a sheep or goat. Near-synonyms: blat, bleat (broad enough to include calves too)

baa²

  • /bɑː/

Where it comes from

Borrowed from Arabic بَاء (bāʔ).

noun baas

  1. The letter ب in the Arabic script.

BAA³

proper noun

  1. abbreviation, initialism Initialism of Broad Agency Announcement.Broad Agency Announcement
  2. abbreviation, initialism Initialism of Business Associate Agreement: under HIPAA, a contract to protect personal health information.Business Associate Agreement

Baa⁴

proper noun

  1. An administrative atoll of the Maldives, officially named Maalhosmadulu Dhekunuburi.

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