angel baby
- noun
- /ˈeɪn.dʒəl ˈbeɪ.bi/
- Informal
:
angelito
- Everyone adores his little sister; she's such an angel baby with her big, innocent eyes.
Examples
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Got the little Angel baby snapping in their stroller.
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She called her daughter her angel baby because of her sweet smile and gentle nature.
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On her first birthday, they dressed her up and sang, "Happy birthday to our precious angel baby."
Synonyms
304
1.0
A very kind person who helps others
28
2.7
A child who behaves well and is much loved
8
6.7
A sweet, innocent-looking baby or young child
How Cute
Surface Forms
Morphology
The words 'angel' (spiritual, pure) + 'baby' (infant) give a clear associative clue that the phrase refers to a heavenly or very pure infant; learners can infer a non-literal, consoling sense. However the specific meaning 'a baby who has died' is culturally marked and ambiguous (could also mean an adorable or saintly baby), so the death-related sense is not fully predictable without exposure.
Etymology
Angel baby may come from the idea of a tiny angel, pure, calm, and sweet, so the words angel and baby make a clear picture of innocence. That's why people use angel baby to mean 'a very cute or innocent-looking child'.