babák

Babák is the plural form of the Hungarian noun baba, a word that can mean either baby or doll. Because the word baba has these two related meanings, babák can refer to living infants as well as to dolls, depending on the context.

Usage and examples

When referring to real infants, babák appears in phrases such as kisbabák (little babies) or simply babák in a general sense, for example: A kisbabák alszanak. The babies are asleep. When talking about dolls, especially toy dolls, babák is often combined with descriptors to specify the type, for instance játékbabák (toy dolls) or porcelánbabák (porcelain dolls): A játékbabák a polcon vannak. The toy dolls are on the shelf.

Context and distinction

The distinction between babies and dolls is typically made explicit by modifiers or through surrounding words. For example, hozzátartozók és játékbabák can contrast living children with dolls. In everyday speech, the meaning is usually clear from the sentence context.

Etymology

The word baba appears to be a native Hungarian term with a long history in child language and common usage. The exact historical development of the plural form babák and its dual meaning (baby vs. doll) is not singled out in a simple etymology note and tends to be understood through usage rather than a single source.

See also

baba, kisbaba, játékbabák

Note

Babák remains a straightforward example of a Hungarian word whose meaning shifts with context, illustrating how plurality and compounding expand its range from a basic term for a childlike figure to multiple referents.