Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BABE, n. [Ger. bube, a boy; Ir. baban; D. babyn; Syr. babia; Phenician, babion; Ar. babah, a babe, an infant. Ar. بَابُسٌ‎‎ babos, or baboson, the young of man or beast; Syr. babosa, a little child. It is remarkable that this Syriac and Arabic word for an infant, is retained by the natives of America, who call an infant pappoos. L. pupus, a word of endearment; pupa, little girl; whence pupillus, pupilla, pupil. Ar. bobohon, the beginning of youth; Gr. βαβαι, and παπαι; Ar. بَأَبَأَ baba, to say baba, that is, father; papa, a word taken from the first attempts of children to pronounce the name of a parent.]

An infant; a young child of either sex.