Menu
Find words

baby

/ˈbeɪ.bi/
nounadjectiveverb

BABY Scrabble score is 11 points; BABY means a very young human or animal, and it has four one-letter neighbours.

NWL Collins ENABLE

Noun 4 meanings

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

  2. 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 chicks for the babies of birds. See :Category:Baby animals for more.

  3. A person who is immature, infantile, or feeble.

    “Stand up for yourself – don't be such a baby!”

  4. A person who is new to or inexperienced in something.

    “I only qualified as an architect this summer, so I'm still a baby.”

Adjective 3 meanings

  1. Picked when small and immature (as in baby corn, baby potatoes).

  2. Newest (overall, or in some group or state); most inexperienced.

  3. Like or pertaining to a baby, in size or youth; small, young.

Verb 2 meanings

  1. To coddle; to pamper somebody like an infant.

  2. To tend (something) with care; to be overly attentive to (something), fuss over.

Definitions: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA) via Kaikki/Wiktextract

Where it comes from

Etymology

From Middle English baby, babie (“baby”), a diminutive form of babe (“babe, baby”), equivalent to babe + -y/-ie (“endearing and diminutive suffix”). Perhaps ultimately imitative of baby talk (compare babble).

Similar and opposite words

Similar
younglinglovebabebabbybabbieinfantbabbabber

BABY is a familiar four-letter word with an unusual scoring balance: its two B tiles contribute more than half its Scrabble value. The word refers most often to a very young person, but it can also describe a young animal or an immature person. Its letters do not form any other listed anagrams.

BABY at a glance

  • BABY has four letters, arranged B-A-B-Y.
  • Its Scrabble total is 11 points before any board-square bonuses.
  • The two B tiles are worth 3 points each; A is worth 1.
  • Y adds 4 points, making it the highest-value tile in BABY.
  • BABE, BABA, BABU and GABY are its four one-letter neighbours.

What is the BABY Scrabble score?

BABY means a very young human, usually from birth until walking is mastered. The word also names a very young animal; kittens, puppies and chicks are familiar examples. As an informal description, baby can mean someone who acts immaturely or seems feeble.

For the BABY Scrabble score, add B at 3, A at 1, B at 3 and Y at 4: the face-value total is 11. A letter multiplier on either B or Y can raise the play, while a word multiplier applies after the tile values are added. BABY is recognized in ENABLE, NWL2023 and Collins; check your game's word list before playing.

Which words differ from BABY by one letter?

BABE, BABA, BABU and GABY each differ from BABY by one letter. The first three keep the opening B-A-B sequence and change only the final tile; GABY changes the first tile instead. These are neighbours, not anagrams, because each changes a letter rather than rearranging the same four tiles.

No anagrams are listed for BABY. Its rhyme list includes LULLABY, WALLABY and CRYBABY, which share the ending sound but are longer words. BABY itself is a common word, so the main trap is not spelling but assuming its familiar meaning makes it a low-value play: the two B tiles and Y make its base score 11.

Rhymes with baby

All rhymes
  • LULLABY12
  • GABY10
  • CRYBABY19
  • WALLABY15
  • GRANDBABY18
  • HUSHABY18
  • ROCKABY18
  • BUSHBABY20
  • MOUCHARABY22
  • MANGABY15
  • SASSABY12

One letter away

Change one letter, keep the rest

Questions people ask

Is BABY a valid Scrabble word?
Yes, BABY is accepted in ENABLE, NWL2023 and Collins. Its ordinary meaning is a very young human or animal, and it can also describe an immature person. Confirm the word list used by your game, since digital versions can follow different dictionaries.
How many points is BABY worth in Scrabble?
BABY is worth 11 points before premium squares. The two B tiles contribute 3 points each, A contributes 1, and Y contributes 4. A letter or word bonus on the board can increase the final score.
Can you make an anagram of BABY?
No anagrams are listed for BABY. Its four letters, B-A-B-Y, do have one-letter neighbours: BABE, BABA, BABU and GABY. Those words change a tile, so they are not anagrams of BABY.

Keep going