babbitts
|bab-bit-s|
/ˈbæbɪts/
(babbitt)
materialistic, conformist middle-class person
Etymology
'babbitt' originates from English, specifically the surname 'Babbitt' used by Sinclair Lewis for his 1922 novel 'Babbitt', where the character embodied middle-class conformity.
'babbitt' changed from the proper noun 'Babbitt' (the fictional character George F. Babbitt) and eventually became the modern English common noun 'babbitt' used to describe a type of person.
Initially, it meant 'the character Babbitt' from Sinclair Lewis's novel, but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'a materialistic, conformist person'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a conformist, materialistic, and conventional person (often middle-class) who values respectability and social status over individuality; derived from the fictional character George F. Babbitt.
The boardroom was filled with babbitts who preferred safe choices to bold innovation.
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Noun 2
a person who uncritically supports established business, civic, or political interests and resists change or reform.
Local babbitts blocked the reform bill, fearing any disruption to the local economy.
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Last updated: 2025/12/23 01:00