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

A soft metal alloy used to line bearings and reduce friction.

"The old engine's bearings were relined with babbitt."

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

To line a bearing surface with this alloy.

"The machinist babbitted the worn bearing before reassembling the engine."

How to Use Babbitt

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither a metal alloy for machine bearings, or (from a novel) an insult for someone who is smugly conventional.

Word Forms

babbitted past tense, Babbitts plural, Babbitts plural, babbitts singular

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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.

· First attested 1799

Class of 1799 babbitt joined the language around 1799.

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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.