moses basket

IPA/ˈməʊzɪz bɑːskɪt/
IPA/ˈməʊzəs bæskɪt/

moses basket — noun

1. a small basket-shaped bed for a newborn baby that is light enough to carry from

1.nounC1
Definition

a small basket-shaped bed for a newborn baby that is light enough to carry from room to room

Example

Leo set the Moses basket beside the sofa so the baby could nap nearby.

sleep in a Moses basket

Adisa carried the Moses basket into the kitchen while dinner was cooking.

carry a Moses basket

Common collocations
  • Moses basket
  • carry a Moses basket
  • put a baby in a Moses basket
  • woven Moses basket
  • Moses basket stand
Synonyms
  • bassinet

    a broader word for a small baby bed, not always basket-shaped or easy to carry

  • carrycot

    another portable baby bed, often linked to prams or travel systems

  • cradle

    often suggests a baby bed that rocks, rather than one meant to be lifted and carried

Grammar Patterns

sleep in a Moses basket

carry a Moses basket

put a baby in a Moses basket

Usage Note

Usually used for the first months of a baby's life and especially common in British English. It refers to a light basket bed you can move easily, not a larger crib or cot that stays in one place.

Common Mistakes

We put the newborn in a crib basket.
We put the newborn in a Moses basket.
Moses basket is the fixed name for this small portable baby bed.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A Moses basket, a bassinet, a carrycot, and a crib are all used for babies, but they do not suggest the same thing. A Moses basket is the small basket-like bed that parents can lift and move around the home. A bassinet is a wider term for a small baby bed and may stand on a frame instead of looking like a basket. A carrycot is also portable, but it is often associated with prams and travel systems. A crib is larger and more fixed, so it is used longer and is not usually carried from room to room. Choose Moses basket when the portable woven-basket image matters.

Moses basket ↗bassinet ↗carrycotcrib ↗

Etymology

HebrewEnglish

The name comes from the Bible story about the baby Moses, who was placed in a basket on the river. Modern English later used that image for a light basket bed made for a newborn baby.