baboon

== English == === Alternative forms === babian, babion === Etymology === From Middle English babewin, baboin, from Old French babouin, from baboue (“grimace; muzzle”) (whence French babouin), from an imitative origin. According to Oxford English Dictionary, it was an imitative base *bab-, which is in turn from the (reduplicated) syllable ba, characteristic of early infantile vocalization (and expressive of the movement of the lips in speech). French babouin was also borrowed into other European languages. Confer Vulgar Latin babouinus ("a grimace"), Vulgar Latin babuinare ("to paint marginal figures in manuscripts"), Italian babbuino (“baboon”), Dutch baviaan (“baboon”), German Pavian (“baboon”) For the sense of infant imitation, see English babble (“to blather”), English babe (“darling”), English baby (“infant”). === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) enPR: bəbo͞onʹ, IPA(key): /bəˈbuːn/, (US) IPA(key): /ˌbæˈbuːn/ Rhymes: -uːn === Noun === baboon (plural baboons) An Old World monkey of the genus Papio, having dog-like muzzles and large canine teeth, cheek pouches, a short tail, and naked callosities on the buttocks. [from 13th c.] (colloquial, derogatory) A foolish, stupid or incompetent person. (highly derogatory, ethnic slur, offensive) A black person. ==== Usage notes ==== The collective noun for baboons is troop. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Descendants ==== → Irish: babún → Welsh: babŵn ==== Translations ==== ==== See also ==== chacma (Papio ursinus) drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus) mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx) Appendix:English collective nouns === References === “baboon”, in OneLook Dictionary Search. baboon on Wikipedia.Wikipedia Papio on Wikispecies.Wikispecies Category:Papio on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons