babel

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Babel^¹

/ˈbeɪ.bəl/ UK
/ˈbeɪ.bəl/ US
/ˈbæ.bəl/ US
/ˈbeɪ.bəl/ Canada
/ˈbæ.bəl/ Canada

Rhymes with -eɪbəl, -æbəl

Where it comes from

From Latin Babel, from Biblical Hebrew בָּבֶל (bāḇel, “Babylon”), from Akkadian 𒆍𒀭𒊏𒆠 (Bābilim); in Genesis associated with the idea of confusion. Doublet of Babylon.

proper noun

The city and tower in the land of Shinar where the confusion of languages took place, according to the Bible. Therefore is the name of it called Babel[…]

noun Babels · babel

A confused mixture of sounds and voices, especially in different languages. As the three were making their way through the crowds of marketers, camels, donkeys, and horses that filled the market place with a confusing babel of sounds, Abdul plucked at Tarzan’s sleeve.
A place or scene of noise and confusion.
A tall, looming structure.

babel^²

noun babels

alternative, uncountable, usually Alternative form of Babel
uncountable, usually A confused noise made by a number of voices. I closed the door hurriedly on the babel and groped my way back to bed. At that moment bed seemed to be the one safe, comforting thing in my whole baffling environment.

Translations

Every language

name Biblical city and tower

Español	Babel
한국어	바벨
日本語	バベル Baberu
Português	Babel
Deutsch	Babel
Ελληνικά	Βαβέλ Vavél
العربية	بَابِل bābil

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Cite this

MLA

"babel." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/babel. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

babel. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/babel

Chicago

"babel." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/babel.

BibTeX

@misc{babel_2026,
  title = {babel},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/babel},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}