out of the mouths of babes

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

From the comments of children, who are honest and innocent, . . . (comes truth or wisdom).

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Sự thật hoặc trí tuệ có thể đến từ những bình luận của trẻ em

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

Not only out of the mouths of babes and sucklings, but out of the mouths of fools and cheats, we may often get our truest lessons.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “out of the mouths of babes” mean?

From the comments of children, who are honest and innocent, . . . (comes truth or wisdom).

Is “out of the mouths of babes” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.