Babylon1
/ˈbabɪlɒn
/An ancient city in Mesopotamia, the capital of Babylonia in the 2nd millennium bc. The city (of which only ruins now remain) lay on the Euphrates and was noted by classical writers for its luxury, its fortifications, and its legendary Hanging Gardens.
Origin
Greek Babulōn (from Hebrew bāḇel), also the name of the mystical city of the Apocalypse. Compare with babel.
Babylon2
/ˈbabɪlɒn/noun [mass noun]
(Chiefly among Rastafarians) a contemptuous or dismissive term for aspects of white culture seen as degenerate or oppressive, especially the police: praise them for bringing a new rectitude to Babylon...
- The Babylon acted swiftly and managed to find one of the suspects by fingerprinting.
- Babylon is like, the society built by white people.
- All people should have dreadlocks because nobody has ever said to wash your hair but Babylon.
Origin
1940s: by association with Babylon1.