Obs. Also 6–7 -oun, 7 -an. [a. F. babion ‘a babion or baboone’ in Cotgr., ‘a kind of small monkey’ in Littré, who takes it as distinct from babouin BABOON, and formed on ‘a radical bab found in babiole’: cf. BAUBLE. It was apparently identified in Eng. with baboon, and seems also to be the immediate source of LG. bavian, Du. baviaan, G. pavian, baboon.] A baboon; an ape; applied in contempt to persons.
1599. B. Jonson, Cynthia’s Rev., I. i. Neither your … satyr, nor your hyæna, nor your babion. Ibid. (1610), Alch., V. i. 14. For Babiouns, or Puppets.
1605. Drayton, Man in Moore, 341. The nimble Babion. Ibid. (1627), Mooncalf, in Agincourt, etc., 173. Of all the rest that most resembled man, Was an o’r-worne ill-fauoured Babian.
1634. Massinger, Parl. Love, IV. v. Farewell, babions.
