Babbitts

Babbitts is a plural term that appears in literature, industry, and as a surname. It commonly refers to either multiple individuals with the family name Babbitt or to the cultural type popularized by Sinclair Lewis in his 1922 novel Babbitt, where "Babbitts" denotes middle‑class, conformist Americans characterized by materialism, boosterism, and social conservatism.

In industry, Babbitt or Babbitt metal (sometimes referred to collectively as Babbitts) denotes a soft white bearing alloy invented by Isaac Babbitt in 1839. Composed typically of tin or lead with antimony and copper, Babbitt alloys are used as a lining in plain bearings for their low friction, conformability, and ability to embed small particles, prolonging machinery life.

As a surname, Babbitt has been borne by figures in politics, science, and the arts. Notable bearers include inventor Isaac Babbitt and politician Bruce Babbitt, among others. The name and its plural form have entered cultural discourse both as a label for a social type derived from Lewis’s satire and as a shorthand in engineering contexts for bearing materials.

Usage contexts determine meaning: literary or sociological discussions usually invoke Lewis’s caricature of American commerce, while technical and historical references concern the metallurgical Babbitt alloys and the people who carry the surname.