baboe

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbaːbu/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ba‧boe

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Javanese ꦧꦧꦸ (babu, “female servant”, literally “mother”), from Old Javanese babu (“mother; older servant”) (cf. wawuh (“familiar, acquainted”)). Compare Portuguese babo.

Noun

baboe f (plural baboes, diminutive baboetje n)

1. (Netherlands, Indonesia, historical) amah, ayah; a native Indonesian woman employed as a wet nurse, nanny and/or maid by Europeans in the former Dutch East Indies
   • 1992 March 15, Van Kooten en De Bie, “Indië [Dutch East Indies]”, in Keek op de Week‎^[1], season 4, episode 89 (satire; television), via VPRO, retrieved 13 November 2024:

     Jet Veenendaal (Wim de Bie): Het was zo'n feest als ons kokkie dat voor ons maakte, ajam boemboe roejak^{[sic – meaning roedjak]}. En ik zat op schoot van de oude baboe, op de galerij, die me die kostelijke Indische sprookjes vertelde. En dan kwam papa thuis in zijn smetteloze witte pak met die tropenhelm ietsjes scheef op – o, die stond hem zo goed, die helm. O ja, en dan dat geluid van die vogels en dan de geur van die ajam boemboe... O, zo jammer dat jij dat allemaal hebt gemist, hè, zus?
     Koosje Veenendaal (Kees van Kooten): Jet, papa en mama zijn in 1939 naar Nederland gekomen, toen was jij één. Hoe kun je je dat allemaal herinneren. (...) Ach Jet, je weet de naam van je baboe niet eens meer.

     Jet Veenendaal: It was such a feast when our cook would make it for us, ayam bumbu rujak. And I would sit on the lap of the old ayah, on the porch, who would tell me those delightful Indonesian fairy tales. And then papa would come home in his immaculate white suit wearing his pith helmet slightly askew - oh, it suited him so well, that helmet. Oh yes, and added to that the sound of the birds and the smell of the ayam bumbu... Oh, such a pity you missed out on all that, isn't it, sis?
     Koosje Veenendaal: Jet, papa and mama came to the Netherlands in 1939; you were one year old at the time. How could you possibly remember all that. (...) Dash it, Jet, you can't even remember your ayah's name.

Derived terms

• zeebaboe

Etymology 2

Ultimately from Hindi बाबू (bābū). This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Noun

baboe ? (plural baboes, diminutive baboetje n)

1. babu

Indonesian

Noun

baboe (plural baboe-baboe)

1. (1901–1947) Superseded spelling of babu (“housemaid”).

Old French

Alternative forms

• baboue
• babou
• babau
• baboye
• babaye

Etymology

From the imitative root *bab-, similar to English bah!.

Noun

baboe f

1. moue, grimace
2. bogeyman
3. fable, bagatelle

Derived terms

Derived terms

• babouniere
• baboyer
• babuse

Peranakan Indonesian

Etymology

Borrowed from Javanese ꦧꦧꦸ (babu, “female servant”, literally “mother”), from Old Javanese babu (“mother; older servant”) (cf. wawuh (“familiar, acquainted”)).

Noun

baboe

1. servant

   ...baboe dan koki boeat menjaksiken bahoea ia poenja otak miring. ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)