baby rabies

9.4

A strong, sudden wish to hold and care for babies

noun
/ˈbeɪbi ˈreɪbiːz/

Slang

: fiebre de bebé

I think I have baby rabies after holding my friend's newborn!

Examples

His friends teased him about having baby rabies after he spent all afternoon playing with his niece.
Every time she sees a toddler, she jokes that she has baby rabies.
After visiting the maternity ward, she admitted she was struck by a bout of baby rabies.
She feels baby rabies every time she sees a cute infant.
Every time she sees a toddler, she jokes that she has baby rabies.
I think I have baby rabies after holding my friend's newborn!
His friends teased him about having baby rabies after he spent all afternoon playing with his niece.

Synonyms

baby fever

vsbaby rabies

Informal

1 6.8

A strong sudden wish to have a baby

is playful and exaggerated showing intense desire and fondness for infants

Antonyms

indifference

71 4.6

Lack of interest or concern about something

disinterest

5 5.8

Not feeling interested in something, like a talk or task

How Strong

baby rabies

Slang

9.4

baby fever

Informal

1 6.8

fondness

38 2.8

Surface Forms

baby rabies singular

baby rabies plural

Morphology

baby + rabies

The phrase combines literal 'baby' with a metaphorical use of 'rabies' (a disease associated with uncontrollable madness) to signal an overwhelming, jokingly pathological desire for babies. A B1 learner who knows both words could probably infer an intense or exaggerated urge, but the creative, humorous extension and colloquial nuance are not fully predictable, so it is only partly transparent.

Etymology

The expression baby rabies puts baby next to rabies, a disease that can make animals act wildly, to paint a picture of a sudden, almost 'out of control' urge to hold or have a baby. So, it jokingly means 'an intense desire to have a baby or to cuddle babies'.