babu
/ˈbɑːbuː/
noun
- A title or form of address used in India, similar to 'Mr.' or 'sir', often used respectfully for a man, especially a clerk or educated person.
- Babu Sharma is the head clerk at the government office.
- The children greeted the elderly neighbor with a polite 'Good morning, Babu.'
- In many Indian households, the father is affectionately called Babu by his children.
- A term used in colonial India for a native Indian clerk who wrote English; sometimes used in a mildly derogatory way to suggest overly formal or bureaucratic English.
- His writing style was full of old-fashioned babu English phrases.
- The term 'babu' once referred to Indian clerks in the British administration.
- The British officer complained about the babu's slow paperwork.
Synonyms