noun Uncommon

dada

DAH-dah

Dada (noun) means an early childhood word for father. Example: “The baby pointed at the door and said "dada!" when he heard the car pull in.”

noun

An early childhood word for father.

"The baby pointed at the door and said "dada!" when he heard the car pull in."

An early 20th-century art and literary movement that rejected logic and tradition in favor of absurdity and provocation, born partly out of disgust at the First World War.

"Dada artists pasted together everyday objects to mock what they saw as a senseless, self-destructive society."

"The exhibition traced how Dada influenced later surrealist art."

How to use dada

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither a toddler's word for "dad," or the anti-art art movement from around World War I.

Word forms

dadas plural

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Fill the gap

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The baby pointed at the door and said "_____!" when he heard the car pull in.

Etymology

The art-movement sense is often said to come from the French word for "hobby-horse," reportedly picked at random from a dictionary in 1916 precisely because it was silly and meant nothing serious; the baby-talk sense simply imitates an infant's first babbled sounds.

Origin: French · First attested 1916

Class of 1916 dada joined the language around 1916.

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Synonyms

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dad papa daddy

Related words

father dad pop da pa daddy grandfather pops

Rhymes for dada

Ada nada Lada sada vada rada Jada Wada yada Okada Canada cicada

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Frequently asked questions

What does “dada” mean?

The word “dada” means an early childhood word for father. In plain terms, either a toddler's word for "dad," or the anti-art art movement from around World War I.

How do you pronounce “dada”?

“Dada” is pronounced DAH-dah (/ˈdɑːdɑː/ in IPA).

How do you use “dada” in a sentence?

Here is “dada” used in a sentence: “The baby pointed at the door and said "dada!" when he heard the car pull in.”

What part of speech is “dada”?

“Dada” is a noun.

Where does the word “dada” come from?

The word “dada” dates back to around 1916 and comes from French.

Is “dada” a common word?

“Dada” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “dada” have?

“Dada” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an early childhood word for father.

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