Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
name
The city and tower in the land of Shinar where the confusion of languages took place, according to the Bible.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: biblical, lifestyle, religion
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A confused mixture of sounds and voices, especially in different languages.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A place or scene of noise and confusion.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A tall, looming structure.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Alternative form of Babel.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: alt-of, alternative, uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A confused noise made by a number of voices.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
a confusion of voices and other sounds
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: confusion
noun
(Genesis 11:1-11) a tower built by Noah's descendants (probably in Babylon) who intended it to reach up to heaven; God foiled them by confusing their language so they could no longer understand one another
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: Tower of Babel
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: ziggurat, zikkurat, zikurat
History
Etymology tree Akkadian 𒆍𒀭𒊏𒆠 (Bābilim)der. Biblical Hebrew בָּבֶל (bāḇel)der. Latin Babelder. English Babel From Latin Babel, from Biblical Hebrew בָּבֶל (bāḇel, “Babylon”), from Akkadian 𒆍𒀭𒊏𒆠 (Bābilim); in Genesis associated with the idea of confusion. Doublet of Babylon.
Across languages
17 source translations are retained for this English entry.
