baba

[ˈbaβ̞a]

/[ˈbaβ̞a]/ noun

The verdict

“baba” is a moderately-common Spanish word, ranked #13,849 in Spanish word frequency and used as a noun.

#13,849
frequency rank, Spanish
4
letters
5
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Saliva que escapa de la boca accidental o involuntariamente.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

baba vs Bob
25% similar
baba vs BBC
0% similar
baba vs bla
50% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for baba
PropertyValue
Headwordbaba
LanguageSpanish
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈbaβ̞a]
Letters4
Frequency rank#13,849
Misspellings tracked5
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “baba” sits in Spanish frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). baba lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The Spanish entry for baba is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈbaβ̞a]. Corpus data places it at rank #13,849 in overall Spanish word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 5 likely wrong-spelling variants for baba, with forms such as "baab", "babba", and "bbaa". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "Bob", "BBC", "bla", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

This entry's etymology isn't recorded, so any spelling logic here comes from how the word's sounds map to letters, not a documented origin story. The correct Spanish form is baba, spelled B-A-B-A.

Definition

  1. 1
    Saliva que escapa de la boca accidental o involuntariamente.
  2. 2
    Líquido viscoso segregado por ciertas glándulas de algunos gasterópodos terrestres y otros invertebrados.
  3. 3
    Por extensión, jugo viscoso de algunas plantas.
  4. 4
    (Caiman crocodilus) Reptil anfibio, emparentado con los cocodrilos y aligátores, de cuerpo alargado, con fuerte cola, mandíbulas poderosas y piel seca y acorazada, nativo de América Central
  5. 5
    Cosa de poco valor o entidad.

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: baab,babba,bbaa,bbaba,vava

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of baba - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

baab2babba1bbaa2bbaba1vava2
Edit distance from "baba"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 Spanish corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "baba"?
"baba" is spelled B-A-B-A. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈbaβ̞a].
What does "baba" mean?
As a noun, "baba" means: Saliva que escapa de la boca accidental o involuntariamente.
What words are commonly confused with "baba"?
"baba" is commonly confused with "Bob", "BBC", "bla". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "baba"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "baba" is [ˈbaβ̞a]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "baba" come from?
"baba" is a Spanish word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “baba”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct Spanish spelling is B-A-B-A - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈbaβ̞a] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Bob” - see the side-by-side comparison. baba vs Bob
  • Browse more Spanish words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Spanish words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list