noun
babbitt
BA-biht
Babbitt (noun) means a soft metal alloy used to line bearings and reduce friction. Example: “The old engine's bearings were relined with babbitt.”
noun
1
A soft metal alloy used to line bearings and reduce friction.
"The old engine's bearings were relined with babbitt."
2
A person who conforms unquestioningly to conventional, materialistic middle-class values (from the novel character).
"Critics dismissed him as a babbitt obsessed with status symbols."
verb
1
To line a bearing surface with this alloy.
"The machinist babbitted the worn bearing before reassembling the engine."
How to use babbitt
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a metal alloy for machine bearings, or (from a novel) an insult for someone who is smugly conventional.
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- babbitts
- Past tense
- babbitted
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The old engine's bearings were relined with _____.
Etymology
The metal is named after its American inventor, Isaac Babbitt (1799-1862); the "conformist" sense comes from the title character of Sinclair Lewis's 1922 novel Babbitt.
Frequently asked questions
What does “babbitt” mean?
The word “babbitt” means a soft metal alloy used to line bearings and reduce friction. In plain terms, either a metal alloy for machine bearings, or (from a novel) an insult for someone who is smugly conventional.
How do you pronounce “babbitt”?
“Babbitt” is pronounced BA-biht (/ˈbæbɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “babbitt” in a sentence?
Here is “babbitt” used in a sentence: “The old engine's bearings were relined with babbitt.”
What part of speech is “babbitt”?
Depending on how it is used, “babbitt” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “babbitt” come from?
The word “babbitt” dates back to around 1799. The metal is named after its American inventor, Isaac Babbitt (1799-1862); the "conformist" sense comes from the title character of Sinclair Lewis's 1922 novel Babbitt.
How many meanings does “babbitt” have?
“Babbitt” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a soft metal alloy used to line bearings and reduce friction.
