באָבע־מעשׂה

Yiddish

Etymology

From בָּבָא־מעשׂה (bovo-mayse), the popular name of the Bovo-Bukh, by assimilation of the foreign proper name בָּבָא (bovo) to Yiddish באָבע (bobe, “grandmother”).

Pronunciation

• (YIVO, Northeastern) IPA^(key): /ˈbɔbəˌmaɪsə/
• (Southern) IPA^(key): /ˈbʊbəˌma(n)sə/, [ˈbʊbəˌmaːsə]

Noun

באָבע־מעשׂה • (bobe-mayse) f, plural באָבע־מעשׂיות (bobe-mayses)

1. old wives' tale (rumour, myth or superstition)

Descendants

• → English: bubbe-meise