aba

See also: Appendix:Variations of "aba"

Languages (67)

Translingual • English

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Page categories

Translingual

Symbol

aba

1. (international standards) ISO 639-3 language code for Abé.

See also

• Wiktionary’s coverage of Abé terms

English

An aba (garment).

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Arabic عَبَاءَة (ʕabāʔa). Compare abaya.

Alternative forms

• abba

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /əˈbɑː/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /əˈbɑ/
• Rhymes: -ɑː

Noun

aba (countable and uncountable, plural abas)

1. A coarse, often striped, felted fabric from the Middle East, woven from goat or camel hair.
2. A loose-fitting sleeveless garment, made from aba or silk, worn by Arabs. [First attested in the early 19^th century.]
   • 1934, Agatha Christie, chapter 5, in Murder on the Orient Express, London: HarperCollins, published 2017, page 110:

     'A pale mauve abba such as you buy in the East.'

   • 1957, Lawrence Durrell, Justine:

     Here Nessim would sit night after night in the winter, dressed in his old rust-coloured abba, staring gravely at Betelgeuse, or hovering over books of calculations for all the world like a medieval soothsayer.

3. An outer garment made of the above, very simple in form, worn by the Arabs of the desert. The illustration shows such an aba, made of two breadths of stuff sewed together to make an oblong about four by nine feet.
4. Such a garment that is specific to women.

   Holonym: hijab

   Coordinate terms: burka, chador, chadri, niqab

Synonyms

• (all senses): abaya

Translations

coarse, often striped, felted fabric from the Middle East, woven from goat or camel hair — see abaya

loose-fitting sleeveless garment, made from aba or silk

• Dutch: abaya (nl) m
• Finnish: abaya (fi)
• Japanese: アバーヤ (abāya), アバーア (abāa)
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: abaya m

• Polish: abaja (pl) f

Etymology 2

• From the name of its creator, the French explorer A. T. d' Abbadie.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈæ.bə/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -æbə

Noun

aba (plural abas)

1. An altazimuth used for astronomy on either land or water.

Etymology 3

Noun

aba (plural abas)

1. An electric fish of species Gymnarchus niloticus (frankfish, freshwater rat-tail, African knifefish), found in swamps, lakes and rivers in Africa.

Translations

fish

• Finnish: nauhanorsukala
• German: Großnilhecht (de) m
• Mada (Nigeria): bū mə̀sər

Further reading

• Aba in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)
• Century Dictionary, volume 1, 1889, page 3

Anagrams

• AAB, BAA, baa

Akan

Pronunciation

• Tone: LH

Noun

aba (plural aba)

1. seed(s)

   Synonym: aseni

2. fruit
3. kernel

   Synonym: adwe

Derived terms

• wawa aba

Further reading

• LearnAkan (2018–present), “seed”, in LearnAkanDictionary.com (overall work in English)
• LearnAkan (2018–present), “kernel”, in LearnAkanDictionary.com (overall work in English)
• Anane, J. Opoku (2000), “aba”, in Advance Akan Dictionary: Akuapim, Asante and Fante with Names and Meanings (overall work in English), Anwomaso – Kumasi, Ghana: Prisebs Business Services, →ISBN, page 187: “Kernel- 1. adwe. 2. aba”

Albanian

Alternative forms

• abë — dialectal, Gheg

Etymology

Etymology tree

Arabic عَبَاءَة (ʕabāʔa)der.

Ottoman Turkish عباbor.

Albanian aba

Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish عبا (ʼaba).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /aˈba/
• Rhymes: -a

Noun

aba f (definite abaja)

1. (archaic) thin felt (usually white or gray)

   Synonyms: zhgun, shajak

2. aba (Middle Eastern garment)

Declension

Declension of aba

	singular
	indefinite	definite
nominative	aba	abaja
accusative		abanë
dative/ablative	abaje	abasë

References

• FMGJSH (2026), “abá,~ja^1–2”
• FGJSSH (1980), page 1b: “abá,~ja”
• Bashkimi (1908), page 17a: “abe”
• Jungg (1895), page 1a: “ab”
• Etymological:
  • Çabej SEFSH [1950s–1980], volume 2, pages 6f.: “abá”
  • Topalli (2017), page 69ab: “abá”
  • Bufli & Rocchi (2021), page 27: “*abë”

Apatani

Etymology

Probably cognate with Tibetan ཨ་ཕ (a pha), Garo apa.

Noun

aba

1. father

References

• P. T. Abraham, Apatani-English-Hindi Dictionary (1987)

Azerbaijani

Other scripts

Cyrillic		аба
Arabic		آبا

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɑˈbɑ]

• Audio (Baku):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: a‧ba

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Turkic *apa (“father”).

Noun

aba (definite accusative abanı, plural abalar)

1. (Gadabay, Quba, Ordubad, Zangilan) father

   Synonym: ata

Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Common Turkic *apa (“mother, elder sister, aunt”).

Noun

aba (definite accusative abanı, plural abalar)

1. (Jabrayil, Qakh, Shamkir, Tabriz) mother

   Synonym: ana

2. (dialectal) elder sister
3. (dialectal) elder sister-in-law

Declension

Declension of aba

	singular	plural
nominative	aba	abalar
definite accusative	abanı	abaları
dative	abaya	abalara
locative	abada	abalarda
ablative	abadan	abalardan
definite genitive	abanın	abaların

Possessive forms of aba

	nominative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	abam	abalarım
sənin (“your”)	aban	abaların
onun (“his/her/its”)	abası	abaları
bizim (“our”)	abamız	abalarımız
sizin (“your”)	abanız	abalarınız
onların (“their”)	abası or abaları	abaları
	accusative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	abamı	abalarımı
sənin (“your”)	abanı	abalarını
onun (“his/her/its”)	abasını	abalarını
bizim (“our”)	abamızı	abalarımızı
sizin (“your”)	abanızı	abalarınızı
onların (“their”)	abasını or abalarını	abalarını
	dative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	abama	abalarıma
sənin (“your”)	abana	abalarına
onun (“his/her/its”)	abasına	abalarına
bizim (“our”)	abamıza	abalarımıza
sizin (“your”)	abanıza	abalarınıza
onların (“their”)	abasına or abalarına	abalarına
	locative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	abamda	abalarımda
sənin (“your”)	abanda	abalarında
onun (“his/her/its”)	abasında	abalarında
bizim (“our”)	abamızda	abalarımızda
sizin (“your”)	abanızda	abalarınızda
onların (“their”)	abasında or abalarında	abalarında
	ablative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	abamdan	abalarımdan
sənin (“your”)	abandan	abalarından
onun (“his/her/its”)	abasından	abalarından
bizim (“our”)	abamızdan	abalarımızdan
sizin (“your”)	abanızdan	abalarınızdan
onların (“their”)	abasından or abalarından	abalarından
	genitive
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	abamın	abalarımın
sənin (“your”)	abanın	abalarının
onun (“his/her/its”)	abasının	abalarının
bizim (“our”)	abamızın	abalarımızın
sizin (“your”)	abanızın	abalarınızın
onların (“their”)	abasının or abalarının	abalarının

Etymology 3

Derived from Arabic عَبَاءَة (ʕabāʔa).

Noun

aba (definite accusative abanı, plural abalar)

1. aba

Declension

Declension of aba

	singular	plural
nominative	aba	abalar
definite accusative	abanı	abaları
dative	abaya	abalara
locative	abada	abalarda
ablative	abadan	abalardan
definite genitive	abanın	abaların

Possessive forms of aba

	nominative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	abam	abalarım
sənin (“your”)	aban	abaların
onun (“his/her/its”)	abası	abaları
bizim (“our”)	abamız	abalarımız
sizin (“your”)	abanız	abalarınız
onların (“their”)	abası or abaları	abaları
	accusative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	abamı	abalarımı
sənin (“your”)	abanı	abalarını
onun (“his/her/its”)	abasını	abalarını
bizim (“our”)	abamızı	abalarımızı
sizin (“your”)	abanızı	abalarınızı
onların (“their”)	abasını or abalarını	abalarını
	dative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	abama	abalarıma
sənin (“your”)	abana	abalarına
onun (“his/her/its”)	abasına	abalarına
bizim (“our”)	abamıza	abalarımıza
sizin (“your”)	abanıza	abalarınıza
onların (“their”)	abasına or abalarına	abalarına
	locative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	abamda	abalarımda
sənin (“your”)	abanda	abalarında
onun (“his/her/its”)	abasında	abalarında
bizim (“our”)	abamızda	abalarımızda
sizin (“your”)	abanızda	abalarınızda
onların (“their”)	abasında or abalarında	abalarında
	ablative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	abamdan	abalarımdan
sənin (“your”)	abandan	abalarından
onun (“his/her/its”)	abasından	abalarından
bizim (“our”)	abamızdan	abalarımızdan
sizin (“your”)	abanızdan	abalarınızdan
onların (“their”)	abasından or abalarından	abalarından
	genitive
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	abamın	abalarımın
sənin (“your”)	abanın	abalarının
onun (“his/her/its”)	abasının	abalarının
bizim (“our”)	abamızın	abalarımızın
sizin (“your”)	abanızın	abalarınızın
onların (“their”)	abasının or abalarının	abalarının

References

• Axundov A. A., Kazımov Q. Ş., Behbudov S. M., editors (2007), “aba I”, in Azərbaycan dilinin dialektoloji lüğəti [Dialectological Dictionary of the Azerbaijani Language] (in Azerbaijani), Baku: Şərq-Qərb, →ISBN, page 11a
• Axundov A. A., Kazımov Q. Ş., Behbudov S. M., editors (2007), “aba II”, in Azərbaycan dilinin dialektoloji lüğəti [Dialectological Dictionary of the Azerbaijani Language] (in Azerbaijani), Baku: Şərq-Qərb, →ISBN, page 11a
• Starostin, Sergei; Dybo, Anna; Mudrak, Oleg (2003), “*apa-”, in Etymological dictionary of the Altaic languages (Handbuch der Orientalistik; VIII.8), Leiden; Cologne; New York: E.J. Brill
• Starostin, Sergei; Dybo, Anna; Mudrak, Oleg (2003), “*appa-”, in Etymological dictionary of the Altaic languages (Handbuch der Orientalistik; VIII.8), Leiden; Cologne; New York: E.J. Brill

Basque

Etymology

Coined by Basque nationalist, writer and politician Sabino Arana in the 19th century, from a misinterpretation of the kinship suffix -ba.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /aba/ [a.β̞a]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aba, -a
• Hyphenation: a‧ba

Noun

aba anim

1. (rare) father

   Synonym: aita

Declension

Declension of aba (anim a-stem)

	indefinite	singular	plural	proximal plural
absolutive	aba	aba	abak	abok
ergative	abak	abak	abek	abok
dative	abari	abari	abei	aboi
genitive	abaren	abaren	aben	abon
comitative	abarekin	abarekin	abekin	abokin
causative	abarengatik	abarengatik	abengatik	abongatik
benefactive	abarentzat	abarentzat	abentzat	abontzat
instrumental	abaz	abaz	abez	abotaz
inessive	abarengan	abarengan	abengan	abongan
locative	—	—	—	—
allative	abarengana	abarengana	abengana	abongana
terminative	abarenganaino	abarenganaino	abenganaino	abonganaino
directive	abarenganantz	abarenganantz	abenganantz	abonganantz
destinative	abarenganako	abarenganako	abenganako	abonganako
ablative	abarengandik	abarengandik	abengandik	abongandik
partitive	abarik	—	—	—
prolative	abatzat	—	—	—

Derived terms

• aberri (“fatherland”) (see there for further derivations)

Further reading

• “aba”, in Orotariko Euskal Hiztegia [General Basque Dictionary], Euskaltzaindia, 1987–2005

Cebuano

Etymology 1

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʔaˈba/ [ʔaˈba]
• Hyphenation: a‧ba

Noun

abá (Badlit spelling ᜀᜊ)

1. breast of birds

Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *aba. Cognate with Tagalog aba. See abaa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʔaˈba/ [ʔaˈba]
• Hyphenation: a‧ba

Interjection

abá (Badlit spelling ᜀᜊ)

1. (literary) an exclamation of surprise, wonder, or admiration; wow

   Synonyms: ay, ayay

   Aba! Nakadaog ko!

   Oh my! I won!

Chavacano

Etymology

Compare Tagalog and Cebuano aba.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʔaˈba/ [ʔa.ˈba]
• Rhymes: -ba
• Hyphenation: a‧ba

Interjection

abá

1. (Caviteño, Zamboangueño) an exclamation of surprise, wonder, or admiration, wow

References

• Rolando Arquiza Santos (2010), Claribel Concepcion, Aireen Barrios-Arnuco, editors, Chavacano de Zamboanga: Compendio y Diccionario: Chavacano-English, English-Chavacano (in Chavacano), Zamboanga City, Philippines: Ateneo de Zamboanga University Press, page 2

Chibcha

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈaba/

Noun

aba

1. maize
2. corncob
3. maize crop

References

• Gómez Aldana D. F., Análisis morfológico del Vocabulario 158 de la Biblioteca Nacional de Colombia. Grupo de Investigación Muysccubun. 2013.

Corsican

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈa.ba/
• Rhymes: -aba
• Hyphenation: a‧ba

Noun

aba f (plural abe)

1. (dialectal) alternative form of apa

References

• “apa, aba”, in INFCOR: Banca di dati di a lingua corsa [Database of the Corsican language], 1999-

Dení

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Arawan *aba-.

Noun

aba f

1. fish

References

• “aba” in Gordon Koop, Lois Koop, Dicionário deni-português, Associação Internacional de Lingüística - SIL Brasil, 1985.

Dongxiang

Pronunciation 1

• IPA^(key): /ɑˈpɑ/

Noun

aba

1. father

Pronunciation 2

• IPA^(key): /ˈɑpɑ/

Noun

aba

1. paternal uncle (father's younger brother)

Dupaningan Agta

Noun

aba

1. taro

Ewe

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /à.bà/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

àbà (definite singular àbà lá or àbàà, plural àbàwó, definite plural àbààwó)

1. sleeping mat (traditionally woven from palm leaves)
2. (by extension) mat in general
3. bed

Derived terms

• abaɖogbe (“beginning (of a celebration)”)
• abaɖonuwo (“bedding”)
• abadziklpɔ (“old, powerless person”)
• abadzitsyɔ̃nu (“bedcover”)
• abadzivɔ (“bedsheet”)
• abafɔgbe (“end (of a celebration)”)
• abali (“valley, slope”)
• abati (“bedstead”)

References

• Westermann, Dietrich Verfasser (1905), “aba”, in Wörterbuch der Ewe-Sprache [Dictionary of the Ewe language]‎^[6] (in German), Berlin: Dietrich Reimer, section I, page 2
• Westermann, Dietrich Verfasser (1906), “aba”, in Wörterbuch der Ewe-Sprache [Dictionary of the Ewe language]‎^[7] (in German), Berlin: Dietrich Reimer, section II, page 31
• Fiagã, Kwasi (1976), Grammaire eʋe: Eʋegbe ŋutinunya‎^[8] (in French), Lomé: Institut national de la recherche scientifique, page 101
• Jim-Fugar, Dr. M.K.N.; Jim-Fugar, Nicholine (2017), “aba”, in Nuseline's Ewe-English Dictionary, 1st edition, Togo: Independently published, →ISBN, page 6

Galician

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ-?

Proto-Indo-European *-os

Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱs-

Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱs-i-s

Proto-Italic *aksis

Latin axis

Latin *axla

Latin āla

Proto-Indo-European *ped-

Proto-Indo-European *-s

Proto-Indo-European *pṓds

Proto-Italic *pets

Latin pēs

Latin ālipēsder.

Latin alapader.

Galician aba

Uncertain. Either from Latin ālipēs (“winged”) or from Latin alapa (“blow, smack”). Cognate with Portuguese aba, Spanish álabe, French aube, Romanian aripă.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈaba/ [ˈa.β̞ɐ]
• Rhymes: -aba
• Hyphenation: a‧ba

Noun

aba f (plural abas)

1. slope, hillside

   Synonyms: faldra, pé

2. apron, smock; folds of a shirt or dress

   Synonym: faldra

3. (anatomy) lap

   Synonym: colo

4. brim of a hat
5. rim

   Synonym: bordo

Derived terms

• abada
• abeaca
• abeiro

References

• Antón Santamarina, editor (2006–2013), “aba”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• “aba”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2026
• Antón Santamarina, Ernesto X. González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, editors (2003–2018), “aba”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Rosario Álvarez Blanco, editor (2014–2024), “aba”, in Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega, →ISSN

Gothic

Romanization

aba

1. romanization of 𐌰𐌱𐌰

Gullah

Etymology

Etymology tree

Twi Akan yader.

Fante Akan ababor.

Gullah aba

From Fante aba, corresponding to Twi Akan ya ("girl who was born on Thursday").

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʔɑ.bɑ/

Proper noun

aba (’aba)

1. a female given name meaning “Thursday”

References

• Lorenzo Dow Turner, Africanisms in the Gullah Dialect (1969)

Haitian Creole

Etymology

From French à bas.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /aba/

Interjection

aba

1. down with...!

   Aba lenjistis!

   Down with injustice!

References

• Albert Valdman, Iskra Iskrova, editors, compiled by Albert Valdman (2007), Haitian Creole-English Bilingual Dictionary‎^[9], Bloomington: Indiana University Creole Institute, →ISBN, page 1
• Targète, Jean; Urciolo, Raphael (1993), Haitian Creole-English Dictionary‎^[10], Dunwoody Press, →ISBN, page 1

Hanunoo

Etymology 1

From Greater Central Philippine *habaʔ (“long (object)”). Compare Ilocano akaba, Kapampangan kaba / aba, Tagalog haba, Central Bikol laba, Aklanon haba, Hiligaynon laba, and Tausug haba'.

Alternative forms

• aba'

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʔaba/ [ˈʔa.ba], /ˈʔabaʔ/ [ˈʔa.bɐʔ]
• Rhymes: -aba, -abaʔ
• Syllabification: a‧ba

Noun

aba or abà (Hanunoo spelling ᜠᜪ)

1. length (distance along the longest dimension)

Derived terms

• aba-aba

Adjective

aba or abà (plural araba, Hanunoo spelling ᜠᜪ)

1. long (having much distance from one point to another)

Derived terms

• araba-araba

Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *abá. Compare Tagalog aba.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʔaˈba/ [ʔaˈba]
• Rhymes: -a
• Syllabification: a‧ba

Interjection

abá (Hanunoo spelling ᜠᜪ)

1. an exclamation of surprise, admiration, wonder

   Synonym: aba-aba

Usage notes

• The word aba-aba is more used.

Derived terms

• aba-aba

See also

• aba
• abaw
• ago
• agod

Further reading

• Conklin, Harold C. (1953), Hanunóo-English Vocabulary (University of California Publications in Linguistics), volume 9, London, England: University of California Press, →OCLC, page 17

Hiligaynon

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *aba.

Interjection

abá

1. alas, gosh, well, whew
2. wow

Interjection

abâ

1. (questioning) really
2. (questioning) ah, oh

Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Philippine *aba.

Noun

abá

1. (anatomy) shoulder blade

Verb

abá

1. to carry on one's back

Hungarian

Etymology

Etymology tree

Arabic عَبَاءَة (ʕabāʔa)der.

Ottoman Turkish عباbor.

Hungarian aba

Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish عبا (abâ, “aba, a stout woollen cloth; a cloak or jacket made of this cloth”) (compare Bulgarian аба́ (abá), Romanian aba, Serbo-Croatian aba / аба), from Arabic عَبَاءَة (ʕabāʔa, “cloak, frock”). First attested in 1556.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈɒbɒ]
• Rhymes: -bɒ
• Hyphenation: aba
• Syllabification: a‧ba
• Homophone: Aba

Noun

aba (plural abák)

1. (archaic or dialectal) a thick, coarse, fulled cloth, typically woven from the wool of sheep or goats, usually undyed and of lower quality

   Synonym: abaposztó

   Hypernym: posztó

   Coordinate term: szűrposztó

2. (archaic or dialectal) an (upper) garment made of this cloth

   Synonym: abaposztó

Declension

Inflection (stem in long/high vowel, back harmony)

	singular	plural
nominative	aba	abák
accusative	abát	abákat
dative	abának	abáknak
instrumental	abával	abákkal
causal-final	abáért	abákért
translative	abává	abákká
terminative	abáig	abákig
essive-formal	abaként	abákként
essive-modal	—	—
inessive	abában	abákban
superessive	abán	abákon
adessive	abánál	abáknál
illative	abába	abákba
sublative	abára	abákra
allative	abához	abákhoz
elative	abából	abákból
delative	abáról	abákról
ablative	abától	abáktól
non-attributive possessive – singular	abáé	abáké
non-attributive possessive – plural	abáéi	abákéi

Possessive forms of aba

possessor	single possession	multiple possessions
1st person sing.	abám	abáim
2nd person sing.	abád	abáid
3rd person sing.	abája	abái
1st person plural	abánk	abáink
2nd person plural	abátok	abáitok
3rd person plural	abájuk	abáik

Derived terms

• abás

Compound words

• abaköntös
• abaköpönyeg
• abamente
• abanadrág
• abaposztó
• abaruha

Expressions

• aba nem posztó

Further reading

• aba and (with subscription) aba  in Ferenc Pusztai, editor, Magyar értelmező kéziszótár [A Concise Explanatory Dictionary of Hungarian] (ÉKsz.²), 2nd, expanded and revised edition, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 2003 (online searchable version under development).
• aba in Nóra Ittzés, editor, A magyar nyelv nagyszótára [A Comprehensive Dictionary of the Hungarian Language] (Nszt.), Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 2006–2031 (work in progress; published a–ez as of 2026).

Iban

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /abaʔ/
• Rhymes: -abaʔ
• Hyphenation: a‧ba

Etymology 1

Etymology tree

Proto-Austronesian *aba

Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *aba

Proto-Malayo-Sumbawan *aba

Proto-Malayo-Chamic *aba

Proto-Malayic *aba

Iban aba

From Proto-Malayic *aba, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *aba, from Proto-Austronesian *aba.

Noun

aba

1. father

   Aba aku ― My father

Etymology 2

Noun

aba

1. smell

Etymology 3

Preposition

aba

1. with; and

   Jaba aba Jalir ― Jaba and Jalir

2. at; in

   Aba bilik iya ― He's in the room

Indonesian

Pronunciation

• (Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /ˈaba/ [ˈa.ba]
• Rhymes: -aba
• Syllabification: a‧ba

Etymology 1

Inherited from Malay aba, from Proto-Malayic *aba, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *aba, from Proto-Austronesian *aba. Doublet of abah. False cognate of Arabic أَب (ʔab, “father”), آباء (ʔābāʔ, “fathers”).

Alternative forms

• abah

Noun

aba (plural aba-aba)

1. synonym of ayah (“father”)

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Javanese ꦲꦧ (aba, “sign, sound; order, command; to order, command; spoken word; to say, to speak”). Doublet of abah.

Alternative forms

• abah

Noun

aba (plural aba-aba)

1. signals in the form of knocking sounds on walls and so on which are usually heard before the death of a family member

Related terms

• aba-aba
• pengaba

Etymology 3

From Marlasi.

Noun

aba (plural aba-aba)

1. (dialectal) cigarette stick

Etymology 4

.

Borrowed from Manggarai [Term?].

Verb

aba

1. (dialectal) to ask for approval from other people to hold or invite a competition

Etymology 5

Borrowed from Lun Bawang [Term?]

Noun

aba

1. (dialectal) to cook something that requires a large and long fire

Further reading

• “aba”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016

Irish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈabˠə/

Noun

aba

1. only used in ar aba

Noun

aba m sg

1. genitive singular of ab

Mutation

Mutated forms of aba

radical	eclipsis	with h-prothesis	with t-prothesis
aba	n-aba	haba	not applicable

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Modern Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Further reading

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977), “aba”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla [Irish–English Dictionary], Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959), “aba”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm

Jamamadí

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Arawan *aba-.

Noun

aba

1. (Banawá) fish

References

• 2007. The UCLA Phonetics Lab Archive. Los Angeles, CA: UCLA Department of Linguistics.

Japanese

Romanization

aba

1. Rōmaji transcription of あば

Javanese

Romanization

aba

1. romanization of ꦲꦧ

Kankanaey

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʔaba/ [ˈʔaː.bʌ]
• Rhymes: -aba
• Syllabification: a‧ba

Noun

ába

1. banana skin
2. taro
3. honey

Derived terms

• aba idus
• inabaan
• pinangaba

Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Philippine *aba.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʔaˈba/ [ʔʌˈba]
• Rhymes: -a
• Syllabification: a‧ba

Noun

abá

1. act of carrying on the back, usually a child with a carrying blanket (eban)

Derived terms

• abaen

See also

• sabigday
• topiyada

References

• Morice Vanoverbergh (1933), “aba”, in A Dictionary of Lepanto Igorot or Kankanay. As it is spoken at Bauco (Linguistische Anthropos-Bibliothek; XII)‎^[11], Mödling bei Wien, St. Gabriel, Österreich: Verlag der Internationalen Zeitschrift „Anthropos“, →OCLC, page 1
• Allen, Larry (2021), “abá”, in Kankanaey – English Dictionary, Summer Institute of Linguistics
• Wallace, Judy (2018), “aba”, in Northern Kankanay – English Dictionary, Summer Institute of Linguistics
• Dalos D. Miguel (6 April 2012), “aba”, in “Kankanaey (Some) words spoken today and their English Translation”, in Philippine Languages @ Cordillera Administrative Region‎^[12] (blog; overall work in English), archived from the original on 6 August 2025

Kashubian

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle Low German ebbe (“tide”). Compare English ebb and Dutch eb.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈa.ba/
• Rhymes: -aba
• Syllabification: a‧ba

Noun

aba f

1. (regional, Hel Peninsula) ebb, the receding movement of the tide
2. (regional, Hel Peninsula) ebb tide
3. (regional, Hel Peninsula) tide, any periodic change in sea level

Derived terms

verbs

• abòwac impf

Further reading

• Sychta, Bernard (1967), “aba”, in Słownik gwar kaszubskich [Dictionary of Kashubian dialects] (in Polish), volumes 1 (A – Ǵ), Wrocław: Ossolineum, page 1
• Jan Trepczyk (1994), “fala”, in Słownik polsko-kaszubski (in Kashubian), volumes 1–2
• Eùgeniusz Gòłąbk (2011), “fala”, in Słownik Polsko-Kaszubski / Słowôrz Pòlskò-Kaszëbsczi‎^[13]

Latgalian

Etymology

Cognate with Latvian aba and Lithuanian aba.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈaba]
• Hyphenation: a‧ba

Conjunction

aba

1. (archaic) or

References

• Nicole Nau (2011), A short grammar of Latgalian, München: LINCOM GmbH, →ISBN, page 74

Latvian

Adverb

aba

1. (archaic) just
2. (archaic) just now

Synonyms

• nupat
• tikko
• patlaban

Conjunction

aba

1. (archaic) or

Synonyms

• vai

Adjective

aba

1. (archaic) both

Synonyms

• abi

Noun

aba m (4th declension, irregular gender, dative singular)

1. (Christianity, Judaism) Father; religious superior; in the Syriac, Coptic, and Ethiopic churches, a title given to the bishops, and by the bishops to the patriarch; a title given to Jewish scholars in the Talmudic period.

Declension

Declension of aba (4th)

	singular	plural
nominative	aba	abas
genitive	abas	abu
dative	abam, abai	abām
accusative	abu	abas
instrumental	abu	abām
locative	abā	abās
vocative	aba	abas

Synonyms

• abba

Lithuanian

Etymology

Cognate with Latvian and Latgalian aba, as well as modern Lithuanian arbà.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɐˈbɐ]
  • Rhymes: -ɐ
  • Syllabification: a‧bà
• IPA^(key): [ˈɐbɐ]
  • Rhymes: -ɐbɐ
  • Syllabification: à‧ba

Conjunction

abà or àba

1. (dialectal or archaic) or

Further reading

• “aba”, in Lietuvių kalbos žodynas [Dictionary of the Lithuanian language], lkz.lt, 1941–2026

Lokono

Numeral

aba

1. (Western Lokono) one.

Synonyms

• ábą

Malagasy

Etymology

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *aba, from Proto-Austronesian *aba.

Noun

aba

1. (dialectal) father

Further reading

• aba in Malagasy dictionaries at malagasyword.org

Malay

Pronunciation

• (Etymology 1, 2, and 5)
  • (Literary Standard, Southern Peninsular Malaysia Standard) IPA^(key): [a.ba]

    • Audio (Malaysia):

      (file)

• (Etymology 3)
  • (Southern Peninsular Malaysia Standard) IPA^(key): [a.bə]

    • Audio (Malaysia):

      (file)

  • (Literary Standard) IPA^(key): [a.ba]

    • Audio (Malaysia):

      (file)

• Rhymes: -abə, -aba
• Hyphenation: a‧ba
• (Etymology 4)
  • (Southern Peninsular Malaysia Standard) IPA^(key): [a.bə da.bə]

    • Audio (Malaysia):

      (file)

  • (Literary Standard) IPA^(key): [a.ba da.ba]

    • Audio (Malaysia):

      (file)

Etymology 1

From Proto-Malayic *aba, from Proto-Malayo-Chamic *aba, from Proto-Malayo-Sumbawan *aba, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *aba, from Proto-Austronesian *aba. Doublet of abah. False cognate of Arabic أَب (ʔab, “father”), آباء (ʔābāʔ, “fathers”).

Noun

aba (Jawi spelling اب)

1. alternative form of abah

Descendants

• Indonesian: aba

Etymology 2

From Arabic أَب (ʔab).

Noun

aba (Jawi spelling اب)

1. A father (male parent).

Etymology 3

Clipping of haba.

Noun

aba (Jawi spelling اب)

1. alternative form of haba

Etymology 4

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

aba-daba (Jawi spelling اب-داب)

1. A germ.

Etymology 5

Borrowed from Indonesian aba, from Javanese ꦲꦧ (aba).

Interjection

aba (Jawi spelling اب, also used in the form aba-aba)

1. (Indonesia) Command words used in military exercises.

Further reading

• "aba" in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu (PRPM) [Malay Literary Reference Centre (PRPM)] (in Malay), Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017
  (also see "aba" at PRPM first version)

Mansaka

Etymology

Akin to Tagalog haba.

Adjective

aba

1. long

Marshallese

Etymology

Borrowed from English harbor.

Pronunciation

• (phonetics) IPA^(key): [ɑbˠɑ]
• (phonemic) IPA^(key): /ɰæpˠæɰ/
• Bender phonemes: {habah}

Noun

aba

1. (nautical) harbor, anchorage, port

   Eaar rum̧ļo̧k juon tiim̧a in Amedka eo ilo aba.

   An American ship sank in the harbor.

Verb

aba (transitive abaiki) (intransitive)

1. (nautical) to make/create a harbor

   Raar abaiki arin āneo n̄an kien n̄e ad.

   They made a harbor on the lagoon side of the island for our government.

References

• Abo, Takaji; Bender Byron W.; Capelle, Alfred; DeBrum, Tony (2009–), “aba”, in Marshallese–English Online Dictionary‎^[14]
• Nik Willson (2014), Naan‎^[15], Majuro, Marshall Islands, page 825

Mezquital Otomi

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish haba (“bean; bump, nodule; equine palatitis”), from Latin faba (“bean”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ǎβa/

Noun

ǎba

1. equine palatitis

Synonyms

• ndodi

References

• Hernández Cruz, Luis; Victoria Torquemada, Moisés (2010), Diccionario del hñähñu (otomí) del Valle del Mezquital, estado de Hidalgo (Serie de vocabularios y diccionarios indígenas “Mariano Silva y Aceves”; 45)‎^[16] (in Spanish), second edition, Instituto Lingüístico de Verano, A.C., page 3

Middle Irish

Noun

aba

1. genitive singular of ab

Mutation

Mutation of aba

radical	lenition	nasalization
aba (pronounced with /h/ in h-prothesis environments)	unchanged	n-aba

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in Middle Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Old Tupi

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Tupi-Guarani *rap, from Proto-Mawé-Guaraní *t͡sap, from Proto-Tupian *jap.

Cognate with Sateré-Mawé sap, Paraguayan Guarani ague.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈa.β̞a/
• Rhymes: -aβa

Noun

aba (possessable, IIa class pluriform, absolute taba, R1 raba, R2 saba)

1. body hair
2. fur (hairy coat of various mammal species)
3. contour feather; plumage

   pykasuaba

   pigeon feathers

4. wool
5. woolen fabric

Usage notes

• When talking about birds, aba referred only to the body feathers; the flight feathers were called pepó.

Derived terms

• 'aba
• agûera
• amongy
• apopora
• aso'îaba
• aúra
• aûana
• gûaraabuku
• gûarasyaba
• pepoata'yba
• pyaba
• samongy
• tu'ĩatĩ'yba
• îandûaba
• îatyrãbebé

Further reading

• Antônio Lemos Barbosa (1956), Curso de tupi antigo: gramática, exercícios, textos [Course of Old Tupi: Grammar, Exercises, Texts]‎^[17] (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Livraria São José
• Navarro, Eduardo de Almeida (2013), “aba”, in Dicionário de tupi antigo: a língua indígena clássica do Brasil [Dictionary of Old Tupi: The Classical Indigenous Language of Brazil ] (overall work in Portuguese), São Paulo: Global, →ISBN, page 5, columns 1–2

Pangasinan

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: a‧ba
• IPA^(key): /aˈba/, [aˈba]
• Rhymes: -a

Noun

abá

1. taro

Related terms

• aba-aba

Part or all of this Pangasinan entry has been imported from the 1865 edition of Diccionario pangasinan-español. The imported definitions may be significantly outdated, and any more recent senses may be completely missing.

Portuguese

Etymology 1

From Old Galician-Portuguese *áaba, either from Latin ālipēs (“winged”), or from Latin alapa (“slap, smack”). Cognate with Galician aba.

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈa.bɐ/

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈa.bɐ/ [ˈa.βɐ]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈa.bɐ/ [ˈa.βɐ]
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈa.bɐ/

• Audio (Brazil):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -abɐ
• Hyphenation: a‧ba

Noun

aba f (plural abas)

1. brim (of a hat)

   a aba do chapéu

   the brim of the hat

2. flap (hinged leaf of furniture)
3. bank (of a river)

   Synonym: margem

4. (computing) tab (navigational widget in a GUI)

Derived terms

• abar
• desabar

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

aba

1. inflection of abar:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative

Further reading

• “aba”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “aba” in Dicionário Aberto based on Novo Diccionário da Língua Portuguesa de Cândido de Figueiredo, 1913
• “aba”, in Michaelis Dicionário Brasileiro da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), São Paulo: Editora Melhoramentos, 2015–2026, →ISBN
• “aba”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Romanian

Alternative forms

• аба (aba) — post-1930s Cyrillic spelling

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /aˈba/
• Rhymes: -a
• Hyphenation: a‧bá

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish عبا (abâ) (Turkish aba), from Arabic عَبَاءَة (ʕabāʔa).

Noun

aba f (plural abale)

1. (uncountable) thick woolen baize (usually white), from which country clothing is often made

   Synonyms: dimie, pănură

2. (countable) a garment made of the above

Declension

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	aba	abaua	abale	abalele
genitive-dative	abale	abalei	abale	abalelor
vocative	aba		abalelor

See also

• țesătură

Etymology 2

Interjection

aba

1. expresses wonder or draws attention to something

Further reading

• “aba”, in DEX online—Dicționare ale limbii române (Dictionaries of the Romanian language) (in Romanian), 2004–2026

Salar

Etymology

Borrowed from Amdo Tibetan ཨ་ཕ (a pha, “father”).

Pronunciation

• (Xunhua, Qinghai, Ili, Yining, Xinjiang) IPA^(key): /ɑbɑ/

Noun

aba

1. father

References

• Potanin, G.N. (1893), “aba”, in Тангутско-Тибетская окраина Китая и Центральная Монголия [Tangutsko-Tibetskaja okraina Kitaja i Centralʹnaja Mongolija] (in Russian)
• Poyarkov, F.; Ladygin, Vasiliy (1893), “Салары. Этнографический очерк [Salary. Etnografičeskij očerk, The Salars: An Ethnographic Sketch]”, in Этнографическое ОбозрѢніе: Императорскаго Общества Любителей Естествознанія, Антропологіи и Этнографіи [Etnografičeskoje ObozrĚnije: Imperatorskago Obščestva Ljubitelej Jestestvoznanija, Antropologii i Etnografii, Ethnographical Review: Imperial Society of Lovers of Natural History, Anthropology and Ethnography]‎^[18] (in Russian), Moscow: Publication of the Ethnographic Department, page 32
• Rockhill, William Woodville (1894), Diary of a journey through Mongolia and Tibet in 1891 and 1892, Washington: Smithsonian Institution, page 374
• Kakuk, S. (1962), “aba”, in “Un vocabulaire Salar”, in Acta Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae‎^[19], volume 14, number 2, Akadémiai Kiadó, →ISBN, page 175
• Tenishev, Edhem (1976), “aba”, in Stroj salárskovo jazyká [Grammar of Salar], Moscow: Nauka, page 279
• 林莲云 [Lin Lianyun] (1985), “aba”, in 撒拉语简志 [A Brief History of Salar]‎^[20], Beijing: 民族出版社: 琴書店, →OCLC, page 126
• Yakup, Abdurishid (2002), “aba”, in An Ili Salar Vocabulary: Introduction and a Provisional Salar-English Lexicon‎^[21], Tokyo: University of Tokyo, →ISBN, page 31
• Dwyer, Arienne M. (2007), “aba”, in Salar: A Study in Inner Asian Language Contact Processes: Part I: Phonology‎^[22], 1st edition, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, →ISBN, page 108
• Ma, Chengjun; Han, Lianye; Ma, Weisheng (December 2010), “aba”, in 米娜瓦尔·艾比布拉 [Minavar Abibra], editor, 撒维汉词典 [Sā-Wéi-Hàn cídiǎn, Salar-Uyghur-Chinese dictionary] (in Chinese), 1st edition, Beijing, →ISBN, page 1
• 马伟 [Ma Wei], 朝克 [Chaoke] (2014), “aba”, in 撒拉语366条会话读本 [Salar 366 Conversation Reader]‎^[23], 1^st edition, 社会科学文献出版社 [Social Science Literature Press], →ISBN, page 109

Sardinian

Etymology 1

From Latin ava, feminine of avus.

Noun

aba f (plural abas)

1. grandmother

Etymology 2

From Latin ala.

Alternative forms

• ala

Noun

aba f (plural abas)

1. wing

Sassarese

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈab(b)a/

Noun

aba f (plural abi)

1. alternative form of abi (“bee”)

References

• Ugo Solinas (2016), “àbi”, in Vocabolario sassarese-italiano fraseologico ed etimologico, volume 1, Sestu: Domus de Janas, →ISBN, page 20
• Giosue Muzzo (1981), “àba”, in Vocabolario del dialetto sassarese, Chiarella Editore, →ISBN; republished, Sassari: Carlo Delfino editore, 2018, page 25

Scottish Gaelic

Alternative forms

• ab

Etymology

From Old Irish abb, from Latin abbās, from Ancient Greek ἀββᾶς (abbâs), from Aramaic אבא (’abbā, “father”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈapə/
• Hyphenation: a‧ba

Noun

aba m (genitive singular aba, nominative plural abachan)

1. abbot

   An nì a nì an dara h-aba subhach, nì e dubhach an t-aba eile.

   What makes the one abbot glad makes the other abbot sad.

Declension

Declension of aba (type III masculine noun)

indefinite
	singular	plural
nominative	aba	abachan
genitive	aba	abachan
dative	aba	abachan; abachaibh1
definite
	singular	plural
nominative	(an) t-aba	(na) h-abachan
genitive	(an) aba	(nan) abachan
dative	(an) aba	(na) h-abachan; h-abachaibh1
vocative	aba	abachan

¹ archaic or poetic form

Derived terms

• mac-an-aba

Related terms

• abaid

Mutation

Mutation of aba

radical	eclipsis	with h-prothesis	with t-prothesis
aba	n-aba	h-aba	t-aba

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Scottish Gaelic.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Further reading

• Edward Dwelly (1911), “aba”, in Faclair Gàidhlig gu Beurla le Dealbhan [The Illustrated Gaelic–English Dictionary], 10th edition, Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited, →ISBN
• MacLennan, Malcolm (1925), A Pronouncing and Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language, Edinburgh: J. Grant, →OCLC
• Mark, Colin (2003), “aba”, in The Gaelic–English dictionary, London: Routledge, →ISBN, page 5

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish عبا (abâ) (Turkish aba), from Arabic عَبَاءَة (ʕabāʔa).

Noun

aba f (Cyrillic spelling аба)

1. (regional) aba

Further reading

• “aba”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2026

Slovak

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /aba/, [ˈaba]
• Rhymes: -aba
• Hyphenation: a‧ba

Noun

aba f (genitive singular aby, declension pattern of žena)

1. aba, abaya

   Synonym: abája

References

• “aba”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2003–2026

Southern Ndebele

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-gàba.

Verb

-aba

1. to divide, to distribute

Inflection

This noun needs an inflection-table template.

Spanish

Etymology

Either inherited from Latin apage (“go away”), from Ancient Greek άπαγε (ápage), or alternatively borrowed from Arabic اِبْعَد (ibʕad, dialectally also abʕad), imperative of بَعِدَ (baʕida, “to go away”), via Andalusian Arabic. As both words have the same meaning and could both easily have yielded Spanish aba, it is hardly possible to decide.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈaba/ [ˈa.β̞a]
• Rhymes: -aba
• Syllabification: a‧ba
• Homophone: haba

Interjection

¡aba!

1. caution!, watch out!

Further reading

• “aba”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), 24th edition, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 30 October 2026

Sumerian

Romanization

aba

1. romanization of 𒀊 (aba)

Swazi

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-gàba.

Verb

-ába

1. (transitive) to share
2. (transitive) to distribute

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Tagalog

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ʔaˈbaʔ/ [ʔɐˈbaʔ]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aʔ
• Syllabification: a‧ba

Adjective

abâ (Baybayin spelling ᜀᜊ)

1. poor, indigent

   Synonyms: dukha, maralita, hirap, mahirap

   Tulungan natin ang mga abang pamilya.

   Let's help the poor families.

2. humble; ordinary

   Synonyms: karaniwan, pangkaraniwan

3. oppressed; abused

   Synonyms: api, inapi, api-apihan

4. unfortunate

   Synonym: kaawa-awa

5. mean; despicable

   Synonym: hamak

Derived terms

• abain
• abang-aba
• kaaba-aba
• kaabaan
• magpakaaba
• pagkaaba
• pagpapakaaba
• sa aba
• sa aba ko
• sa aba mo

Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *abá.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ʔaˈba/ [ʔɐˈba]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -a
• Syllabification: a‧ba

Interjection

abá (Baybayin spelling ᜀᜊ)

1. an exclamation of surprise, wonder, or admiration; wow

   Synonyms: naku, (Rizal) adyaw

   Aba! Bakit ngayon mo lang sinabi?

   Hey! How come you only said it now?

   Aba! Ikaw ang bahala.

   Well! Do as you please.

   Aba oo.

   But of course.

Alternative forms

• ba

Etymology 3

Etymology tree

Punic 𐤇𐤅 (ḥw)bor.

Latin avēder.

Old Spanish ave

Spanish avebor.

Tagalog aba

Borrowed from Spanish ave, from Latin avē (“hello, hail”). The senses “calling of attention” could possibly be borrowed from Spanish aba (“watch out”), either from Latin apage (“go away”), from Ancient Greek άπαγε (ápage), or from Arabic اِبْعَد.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ʔaˈba/ [ʔɐˈba]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -a
• Syllabification: a‧ba

Interjection

abá (Baybayin spelling ᜀᜊ)

1. hail!

   Aba Ginoong Maria!

   Hail Mary!; Ave Maria!

Derived terms

• Aba Ginoong Maria

Noun

abá (Baybayin spelling ᜀᜊ)

1. act of greeting or calling the attention of someone

   Synonyms: bati, pagbati

2. reminder or call of attention for someone about something

   Synonyms: banggit, ino, pagbanggit, pag-ino

Derived terms

• abahin

Further reading

• “aba”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, 2018
• Blust, Robert; Trussel, Stephen; et al. (2023) “*abá”, in the CLDF dataset from The Austronesian Comparative Dictionary (2010–), →DOI
• Cuadrado Muñiz, Adolfo (1972), Hispanismos en el tagalo: diccionario de vocablos de origen español vigentes en esta lengua filipina [Hispanicisms in Tagalog: dictionary of words of Spanish origin still used in this Philippine language], Madrid: Oficina de Educación Iberoamericana [Office of Ibero-American Education], page 1

Anagrams

• aab

Tatar

Noun

aba

1. Latin spelling of аба (aba)

Ternate

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈa.ba]

Noun

aba

1. father

   Synonym: baba

References

• Rika Hayami-Allen (2001), A descriptive study of the language of Ternate, the northern Moluccas, Indonesia, University of Pittsburgh

Turkish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɑbɑ/

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Turkic *apa (“mother, elder sister, aunt”).

Noun

aba (definite accusative abayı, plural abalar)

1. (dialectal) elder sister
2. (dialectal) mother

Etymology 2

Derived from Arabic عَبَاءَة (ʕabāʔa).

Noun

aba (definite accusative abayı, plural abalar)

1. felt (a non-woven cloth that is produced by matting, condensing and pressing woollen fibres)

Derived terms

• aba güreşi

Etymology 3

Etymology tree

Arabic آباء (ʔābāʔ)

Ottoman Turkish آبا (aba)

Turkish aba

Inherited from Ottoman Turkish آبا (aba), from Arabic آباء (ʔābāʔ).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɑːbɑː/

Noun

aba

1. (archaic) fathers
2. (archaic) ancestors, forefathers
3. (archaic) Christian monks

Declension

Declension of aba

singular plural nominative aba abalar definite accusative abayı abaları dative abaya abalara locative abada abalarda ablative abadan abalardan genitive abanın abaların Possessive forms nominative singular plural 1st singular abam abalarım 2nd singular aban abaların 3rd singular abası abaları 1st plural abamız abalarımız 2nd plural abanız abalarınız 3rd plural abaları abaları definite accusative singular plural 1st singular abamı abalarımı 2nd singular abanı abalarını 3rd singular abasını abalarını 1st plural abamızı abalarımızı 2nd plural abanızı abalarınızı 3rd plural abalarını abalarını dative singular plural 1st singular abama abalarıma 2nd singular abana abalarına 3rd singular abasına abalarına 1st plural abamıza abalarımıza 2nd plural abanıza abalarınıza 3rd plural abalarına abalarına locative singular plural 1st singular abamda abalarımda 2nd singular abanda abalarında 3rd singular abasında abalarında 1st plural abamızda abalarımızda 2nd plural abanızda abalarınızda 3rd plural abalarında abalarında ablative singular plural 1st singular abamdan abalarımdan 2nd singular abandan abalarından 3rd singular abasından abalarından 1st plural abamızdan abalarımızdan 2nd plural abanızdan abalarınızdan 3rd plural abalarından abalarından genitive singular plural 1st singular abamın abalarımın 2nd singular abanın abalarının 3rd singular abasının abalarının 1st plural abamızın abalarımızın 2nd plural abanızın abalarınızın 3rd plural abalarının abalarının

Etymology 4

Noun

aba

1. dative singular of ab

Further reading

• “aba”, in Turkish dictionaries, Türk Dil Kurumu

Venetan

Noun

aba f (plural abe) (Belluno)

1. alternative form of acua

References

• “aba”, in el Galepin – www.elgalepin.com

Wajarri

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /apa/

Noun

aba

1. (childish) grandmother

Weyewa

Noun

aba

1. (Loli) fat
2. (Loli) mouth

References

• Lobu Ori, S,Pd, M.Pd (2010), “aba”, in Kamus Bahasa Lolina [Dictionary of the Loli Language] (in Indonesian), Waikabubak: Kepala Dinas Kebudayaan dan Pariwisata, Kabupaten Sumba Barat

Wutunhua

Etymology

From Mandarin 阿爸 (ābà).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [apa]

Noun

aba

1. father

   Synonym: ha

   Coordinate terms: ana, ma

References

• Erika Sandman (2016), A Grammar of Wutun‎^[24], University of Helsinki (PhD), →ISBN

Xhosa

Etymology 1

From Proto-Bantu *-gàba.

Verb

-aba

1. (transitive) to share
2. (transitive) to distribute

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [âːɓa]

Pronoun

âba

1. these; class 2 proximal demonstrative.

Yoruba

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /à.bá/

Noun

àbá

1. idea, suggestion

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ā.bà/

Noun

abà

1. barn, village

   Synonym: ahéré

   Synonym: abúlé

Etymology 3

From à- (“nominalizing prefix”) +‎ ba (“to brood, to incubate”)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /à.bā/

Noun

àba

1. incubation

Etymology 4

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ā.bá/

Noun

abá

1. type of mat

   Synonym: ẹní

Etymology 5

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /à.bá/

Noun

àbá

1. (Ekiti) father

   Synonyms: bàbá, aba

   Antonyms: iye, eye

2. (Ekiti) a term of familiarity or respect for an older man or male relative

   Synonyms: bàbá, aba

Derived terms

• ababa (“grandfather, paternal grandfather”)

• abaye (“grandfather, maternal grandfather”)

Zaghawa

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʔaba/

Noun

aba

1. father
2. paternal uncle (among the wegi clan); maternal uncle (sometimes)

Usage notes

• Sense 2 refers to blood relations only
• Most often used as a form of address, rather than a noun proper.

See also

• kisir

References

• Beria-English English-Beria Dictionary [provisional] ADESK, Iriba, Kobe Department, Chad

Zazaki

Noun

aba f

1. felt (a non-woven cloth that is produced by matting, condensing and pressing woollen fibres)

Zulu

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-gàba.

Verb

-aba

1. (transitive) to divide, to apportion, to distribute
2. (transitive) to share

Inflection

tone L (infinitive ukwaba)

	positive	negative
infinitive	ukwaba	ukungabi
imperative
	simple	+ object concord
singular	yaba	-abe
plural	yabani	-abeni
present
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngiyaba, ngaba	engabayo, engaba	ngaba	angabi	engingabi	ngingabi
2nd singular	uyaba, waba	owabayo, owaba	waba	awabi	ongabi	ungabi
1st plural	siyaba, saba	esabayo, esaba	saba	asabi	esingabi	singabi
2nd plural	niyaba, naba	enabayo, enaba	naba	anabi	eningabi	ningabi
class 1	uyaba, waba	owabayo, owaba	aba	akabi	ongabi	engabi
class 2	bayaba, baba	ababayo, ababa	baba	ababi	abangabi	bengabi
class 3	uyaba, waba	owabayo, owaba	waba	awabi	ongabi	ungabi
class 4	iyaba, yaba	eyabayo, eyaba	yaba	ayabi	engabi	ingabi
class 5	liyaba, laba	elabayo, elaba	laba	alabi	elingabi	lingabi
class 6	ayaba, aba	abayo, aba	aba	awabi	angabi	engabi
class 7	siyaba, saba	esabayo, esaba	saba	asabi	esingabi	singabi
class 8	ziyaba, zaba	ezabayo, ezaba	zaba	azabi	ezingabi	zingabi
class 9	iyaba, yaba	eyabayo, eyaba	yaba	ayabi	engabi	ingabi
class 10	ziyaba, zaba	ezabayo, ezaba	zaba	azabi	ezingabi	zingabi
class 11	luyaba, lwaba	olwabayo, olwaba	lwaba	alwabi	olungabi	lungabi
class 14	buyaba, baba	obabayo, obaba	baba	ababi	obungabi	bungabi
class 15	kuyaba, kwaba	okwabayo, okwaba	kwaba	akwabi	okungabi	kungabi
class 17	kuyaba, kwaba	okwabayo, okwaba	kwaba	akwabi	okungabi	kungabi
recent past
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngabile, ngabē	engabile, engabē	ngabile, ngabē	angabanga	engingabanga	ngingabanga
2nd singular	wabile, wabē	owabile, owabē	wabile, wabē	awabanga	ongabanga	ungabanga
1st plural	sabile, sabē	esabile, esabē	sabile, sabē	asabanga	esingabanga	singabanga
2nd plural	nabile, nabē	enabile, enabē	nabile, nabē	anabanga	eningabanga	ningabanga
class 1	wabile, wabē	owabile, owabē	abile, abē	akabanga	ongabanga	engabanga
class 2	babile, babē	ababile, ababē	babile, babē	ababanga	abangabanga	bengabanga
class 3	wabile, wabē	owabile, owabē	wabile, wabē	awabanga	ongabanga	ungabanga
class 4	yabile, yabē	eyabile, eyabē	yabile, yabē	ayabanga	engabanga	ingabanga
class 5	labile, labē	elabile, elabē	labile, labē	alabanga	elingabanga	lingabanga
class 6	abile, abē	abile, abē	abile, abē	awabanga	angabanga	engabanga
class 7	sabile, sabē	esabile, esabē	sabile, sabē	asabanga	esingabanga	singabanga
class 8	zabile, zabē	ezabile, ezabē	zabile, zabē	azabanga	ezingabanga	zingabanga
class 9	yabile, yabē	eyabile, eyabē	yabile, yabē	ayabanga	engabanga	ingabanga
class 10	zabile, zabē	ezabile, ezabē	zabile, zabē	azabanga	ezingabanga	zingabanga
class 11	lwabile, lwabē	olwabile, olwabē	lwabile, lwabē	alwabanga	olungabanga	lungabanga
class 14	babile, babē	obabile, obabē	babile, babē	ababanga	obungabanga	bungabanga
class 15	kwabile, kwabē	okwabile, okwabē	kwabile, kwabē	akwabanga	okungabanga	kungabanga
class 17	kwabile, kwabē	okwabile, okwabē	kwabile, kwabē	akwabanga	okungabanga	kungabanga
remote past
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngāba	engāba	ngāba	angabanga	engingabanga	ngingabanga
2nd singular	wāba	owāba	wāba	awabanga	ongabanga	ungabanga
1st plural	sāba	esāba	sāba	asabanga	esingabanga	singabanga
2nd plural	nāba	enāba	nāba	anabanga	eningabanga	ningabanga
class 1	wāba	owāba	āba	akabanga	ongabanga	engabanga
class 2	bāba	abāba	bāba	ababanga	abangabanga	bengabanga
class 3	wāba	owāba	wāba	awabanga	ongabanga	ungabanga
class 4	yāba	eyāba	yāba	ayabanga	engabanga	ingabanga
class 5	lāba	elāba	lāba	alabanga	elingabanga	lingabanga
class 6	āba	āba	āba	awabanga	angabanga	engabanga
class 7	sāba	esāba	sāba	asabanga	esingabanga	singabanga
class 8	zāba	ezāba	zāba	azabanga	ezingabanga	zingabanga
class 9	yāba	eyāba	yāba	ayabanga	engabanga	ingabanga
class 10	zāba	ezāba	zāba	azabanga	ezingabanga	zingabanga
class 11	lwāba	olwāba	lwāba	alwabanga	olungabanga	lungabanga
class 14	bāba	obāba	bāba	ababanga	obungabanga	bungabanga
class 15	kwāba	okwāba	kwāba	akwabanga	okungabanga	kungabanga
class 17	kwāba	okwāba	kwāba	akwabanga	okungabanga	kungabanga
potential
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngingaba	—	ngingaba	ngingabe	—	ngingabe
2nd singular	ungaba	—	ungaba	ungabe	—	ungabe
1st plural	singaba	—	singaba	singabe	—	singabe
2nd plural	ningaba	—	ningaba	ningabe	—	ningabe
class 1	angaba	—	engaba	angabe	—	engabe
class 2	bangaba	—	bengaba	bangabe	—	bengabe
class 3	ungaba	—	ungaba	ungabe	—	ungabe
class 4	ingaba	—	ingaba	ingabe	—	ingabe
class 5	lingaba	—	lingaba	lingabe	—	lingabe
class 6	angaba	—	engaba	angabe	—	engabe
class 7	singaba	—	singaba	singabe	—	singabe
class 8	zingaba	—	zingaba	zingabe	—	zingabe
class 9	ingaba	—	ingaba	ingabe	—	ingabe
class 10	zingaba	—	zingaba	zingabe	—	zingabe
class 11	lungaba	—	lungaba	lungabe	—	lungabe
class 14	bungaba	—	bungaba	bungabe	—	bungabe
class 15	kungaba	—	kungaba	kungabe	—	kungabe
class 17	kungaba	—	kungaba	kungabe	—	kungabe
immediate future
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngizokwaba	engizokwaba	ngizokwaba	angizukwaba	engingezukwaba	ngingezukwaba
2nd singular	uzokwaba	ozokwaba	uzokwaba	awuzukwaba	ongezukwaba	ungezukwaba
1st plural	sizokwaba	esizokwaba	sizokwaba	asizukwaba	esingezukwaba	singezukwaba
2nd plural	nizokwaba	enizokwaba	nizokwaba	anizukwaba	eningezukwaba	ningezukwaba
class 1	uzokwaba	ozokwaba	ezokwaba	akazukwaba	ongezukwaba	engezukwaba
class 2	bazokwaba	abazokwaba	bezokwaba	abazukwaba	abangezukwaba	bengezukwaba
class 3	uzokwaba	ozokwaba	uzokwaba	awuzukwaba	ongezukwaba	ungezukwaba
class 4	izokwaba	ezokwaba	izokwaba	ayizukwaba	engezukwaba	ingezukwaba
class 5	lizokwaba	elizokwaba	lizokwaba	alizukwaba	elingezukwaba	lingezukwaba
class 6	azokwaba	azokwaba	ezokwaba	awazukwaba	angezukwaba	engezukwaba
class 7	sizokwaba	esizokwaba	sizokwaba	asizukwaba	esingezukwaba	singezukwaba
class 8	zizokwaba	ezizokwaba	zizokwaba	azizukwaba	ezingezukwaba	zingezukwaba
class 9	izokwaba	ezokwaba	izokwaba	ayizukwaba	engezukwaba	ingezukwaba
class 10	zizokwaba	ezizokwaba	zizokwaba	azizukwaba	ezingezukwaba	zingezukwaba
class 11	luzokwaba	oluzokwaba	luzokwaba	aluzukwaba	olungezukwaba	lungezukwaba
class 14	buzokwaba	obuzokwaba	buzokwaba	abuzukwaba	obungezukwaba	bungezukwaba
class 15	kuzokwaba	okuzokwaba	kuzokwaba	akuzukwaba	okungezukwaba	kungezukwaba
class 17	kuzokwaba	okuzokwaba	kuzokwaba	akuzukwaba	okungezukwaba	kungezukwaba
remote future
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngiyokwaba	engiyokwaba	ngiyokwaba	angiyukwaba	engingeyukwaba	ngingeyukwaba
2nd singular	uyokwaba	oyokwaba	uyokwaba	awuyukwaba	ongeyukwaba	ungeyukwaba
1st plural	siyokwaba	esiyokwaba	siyokwaba	asiyukwaba	esingeyukwaba	singeyukwaba
2nd plural	niyokwaba	eniyokwaba	niyokwaba	aniyukwaba	eningeyukwaba	ningeyukwaba
class 1	uyokwaba	oyokwaba	eyokwaba	akayukwaba	ongeyukwaba	engeyukwaba
class 2	bayokwaba	abayokwaba	beyokwaba	abayukwaba	abangeyukwaba	bengeyukwaba
class 3	uyokwaba	oyokwaba	uyokwaba	awuyukwaba	ongeyukwaba	ungeyukwaba
class 4	iyokwaba	eyokwaba	iyokwaba	ayiyukwaba	engeyukwaba	ingeyukwaba
class 5	liyokwaba	eliyokwaba	liyokwaba	aliyukwaba	elingeyukwaba	lingeyukwaba
class 6	ayokwaba	ayokwaba	eyokwaba	awayukwaba	angeyukwaba	engeyukwaba
class 7	siyokwaba	esiyokwaba	siyokwaba	asiyukwaba	esingeyukwaba	singeyukwaba
class 8	ziyokwaba	eziyokwaba	ziyokwaba	aziyukwaba	ezingeyukwaba	zingeyukwaba
class 9	iyokwaba	eyokwaba	iyokwaba	ayiyukwaba	engeyukwaba	ingeyukwaba
class 10	ziyokwaba	eziyokwaba	ziyokwaba	aziyukwaba	ezingeyukwaba	zingeyukwaba
class 11	luyokwaba	oluyokwaba	luyokwaba	aluyukwaba	olungeyukwaba	lungeyukwaba
class 14	buyokwaba	obuyokwaba	buyokwaba	abuyukwaba	obungeyukwaba	bungeyukwaba
class 15	kuyokwaba	okuyokwaba	kuyokwaba	akuyukwaba	okungeyukwaba	kungeyukwaba
class 17	kuyokwaba	okuyokwaba	kuyokwaba	akuyukwaba	okungeyukwaba	kungeyukwaba
present subjunctive
	positive	negative
1st singular	ngabe	ngingabi
2nd singular	wabe	ungabi
1st plural	sabe	singabi
2nd plural	nabe	ningabi
class 1	abe	angabi
class 2	babe	bangabi
class 3	wabe	ungabi
class 4	yabe	ingabi
class 5	labe	lingabi
class 6	abe	angabi
class 7	sabe	singabi
class 8	zabe	zingabi
class 9	yabe	ingabi
class 10	zabe	zingabi
class 11	lwabe	lungabi
class 14	babe	bungabi
class 15	kwabe	kungabi
class 17	kwabe	kungabi
past subjunctive
	positive	negative
1st singular	ngaba	ngangaba, angaba, angangaba
2nd singular	waba	wangaba, awaba, awangaba
1st plural	saba	sangaba, asaba, asangaba
2nd plural	naba	nangaba, anaba, anangaba
class 1	waba	wangaba, akaba, akangaba
class 2	baba	bangaba, ababa, abangaba
class 3	waba	wangaba, awaba, awangaba
class 4	yaba	yangaba, ayaba, ayangaba
class 5	laba	langaba, alaba, alangaba
class 6	aba	angaba, awaba, awangaba
class 7	saba	sangaba, asaba, asangaba
class 8	zaba	zangaba, azaba, azangaba
class 9	yaba	yangaba, ayaba, ayangaba
class 10	zaba	zangaba, azaba, azangaba
class 11	lwaba	lwangaba, alwaba, alwangaba
class 14	baba	bangaba, ababa, abangaba
class 15	kwaba	kwangaba, akwaba, akwangaba
class 17	kwaba	kwangaba, akwaba, akwangaba

Derived terms

• -abela (applicative)
• -abisa (causative)
• -abisisa (intensive)
• -abeka (neuter-passive)
• -abiwa (passive)
• -abana (reciprocal)
• umabi
• umabo

References

• C. M. Doke; B. W. Vilakazi (1972), “aɓa”, in Zulu-English Dictionary, →ISBN: “aɓa (6.3)”