noun
Babel
BAY-bl
Babel (noun) means a confused, noisy mixture of voices or languages. Example: “The market was a babel of languages and haggling voices.”
noun
1
A confused, noisy mixture of voices or languages.
"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."
— John Wyndham, The Day of the Triffids (1951)
"A babel of languages could be heard in the streets and the squares, mingling with the local Provençal."
— Edwin Mullins, The Popes of Avignon (2007)
"The market was a babel of languages and haggling voices."
"He had already demanded the attention of the manager, Professor Bulge, Draycott and two underlings to his case and they were now involved in a babel of inutile reiteration."
— Ernest Bramah, Max Carrados (1914)
2
A scene of noise, confusion, or disorder.
"The office turned into a babel the moment the fire alarm went off."
How to use Babel
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA jumble of confusing noise or many languages spoken at once, from the biblical story of the Tower of Babel.
Common pairings
a babel of voices
a babel of languages
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The market was a _____ of languages and haggling voices.
Etymology
From the biblical Tower of Babel, where, according to Genesis, God confused human languages so builders could no longer understand one another.
Antonyms
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Rhymes for Babel
See all rhymes for Babel →Frequently asked questions
What does “Babel” mean?
The word “Babel” means a confused, noisy mixture of voices or languages. In plain terms, a jumble of confusing noise or many languages spoken at once, from the biblical story of the Tower of Babel.
How do you pronounce “Babel”?
“Babel” is pronounced BAY-bl (/ˈbeɪ.bl̩/ in IPA).
How do you use “Babel” in a sentence?
Here is “Babel” used in a sentence: “The market was a babel of languages and haggling voices.”
What part of speech is “Babel”?
“Babel” is a noun.
How many meanings does “Babel” have?
“Babel” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a confused, noisy mixture of voices or languages.
