bibi

See also: Appendix:Variations of "bibi"

Languages (29)

English

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Acehnese • Alangan • Azerbaijani • Barngarla • Bukhari • Cebuano • Central Bikol • Dutch • French • Guinea-Bissau Creole • Hiligaynon • Hungarian • Indonesian • Japanese • Latin • Malay • Portuguese • Romani • Rukai • Spanish • Swahili • Talysh • Ternate • Tetum • Thao • Turkish • Tyap • Yami

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Page categories

English

Etymology

From Hindi बीबी (bībī), from Classical Persian بی‌بی (bī-bī).

Noun

bibi (plural bibis)

1. (India) A grandmother.
2. (India, obsolete) A European woman in British India; sometimes a married man's mistress.
   • 2010, Stephen Markel, Tushara Bindu Gude, India's Fabled City: The Art of Courtly Lucknow, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, page 59:

     The bibis of European men were treated in the same way as upper-class Muslim women, that is, they were kept hidden from view and did not mingle socially with men.

Alternative forms

• beebee

Related terms

• bibiji

Acehnese

Acehnese Spelling
EBAYD	bibi
Husaini
Jawoe	بيبير

Etymology

From Proto-Chamic *bibir, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *bibiʀ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /biˈbi/
• Hyphenation: bi‧bi

Noun

bibi (Jawoe spelling بيبير)

1. lip

   bibi cumèh ― cleft lip

   kab bibi ― to bite one's lip

References

• “bibi”, in Kamus Aceh Indonesia [Acehnese-Indonesian Dictionary] (Seri K; 85), Seri 1. A-L [Volume 1. A-L] (eBook; overall work in Indonesian), Jakarta: Pusat Pembinaan dan Pengembangan Bahasa, Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, 1985, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 81
• “بيبير”, in Woordenboek der Atjehsche Taal [Dictionary of the Acehnese Language]‎^[2] (overall work in Dutch), Den Haag: 's Gravenhage : Martinus Nijhoff, 1889, page 48

Alangan

Noun

bibî

1. mouth

Azerbaijani

Other scripts

Cyrillic		биби
Arabic		بیبی

Etymology

Etymology tree

Manichaean Middle Persian 𐫁𐫏𐫏 𐫁𐫏 (byy by /⁠bībī⁠/)

Persian بی‌بی (bi-bi)der.

Azerbaijani bibi

Derived from Persian بی‌بی (bi-bi).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [biˈbi]

• Audio (Baku):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: bi‧bi

Noun

bibi (definite accusative bibini, plural bibilər)

1. paternal aunt ("sister of one's father")

   Coordinate terms: əmi (“paternal uncle”), dayı (“maternal uncle”), xala (“maternal aunt”)

Declension

Declension of bibi

	singular	plural
nominative	bibi	bibilər
definite accusative	bibini	bibiləri
dative	bibiyə	bibilərə
locative	bibidə	bibilərdə
ablative	bibidən	bibilərdən
definite genitive	bibinin	bibilərin

Possessive forms of bibi

	nominative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	bibim	bibilərim
sənin (“your”)	bibin	bibilərin
onun (“his/her/its”)	bibisi	bibiləri
bizim (“our”)	bibimiz	bibilərimiz
sizin (“your”)	bibiniz	bibiləriniz
onların (“their”)	bibisi or bibiləri	bibiləri
	accusative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	bibimi	bibilərimi
sənin (“your”)	bibini	bibilərini
onun (“his/her/its”)	bibisini	bibilərini
bizim (“our”)	bibimizi	bibilərimizi
sizin (“your”)	bibinizi	bibilərinizi
onların (“their”)	bibisini or bibilərini	bibilərini
	dative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	bibimə	bibilərimə
sənin (“your”)	bibinə	bibilərinə
onun (“his/her/its”)	bibisinə	bibilərinə
bizim (“our”)	bibimizə	bibilərimizə
sizin (“your”)	bibinizə	bibilərinizə
onların (“their”)	bibisinə or bibilərinə	bibilərinə
	locative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	bibimdə	bibilərimdə
sənin (“your”)	bibində	bibilərində
onun (“his/her/its”)	bibisində	bibilərində
bizim (“our”)	bibimizdə	bibilərimizdə
sizin (“your”)	bibinizdə	bibilərinizdə
onların (“their”)	bibisində or bibilərində	bibilərində
	ablative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	bibimdən	bibilərimdən
sənin (“your”)	bibindən	bibilərindən
onun (“his/her/its”)	bibisindən	bibilərindən
bizim (“our”)	bibimizdən	bibilərimizdən
sizin (“your”)	bibinizdən	bibilərinizdən
onların (“their”)	bibisindən or bibilərindən	bibilərindən
	genitive
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	bibimin	bibilərimin
sənin (“your”)	bibinin	bibilərinin
onun (“his/her/its”)	bibisinin	bibilərinin
bizim (“our”)	bibimizin	bibilərimizin
sizin (“your”)	bibinizin	bibilərinizin
onların (“their”)	bibisinin or bibilərinin	bibilərinin

See also

• əmioğlu (“male paternal cousin”)
• əmiqızı (“female paternal cousin”)
• dayıoğlu (“male maternal cousin”)
• dayıqızı (“female paternal cousin”)
• qardaşoğlu (“fraternal nephew”)
• qardaşqızı (“fraternal niece”)

Further reading

• Orucov, Əliheydər, editor (2006), “bibi”, in Azərbaycan dilinin izahlı lüğəti [Explanatory Dictionary of the Azerbaijani Language]‎^[3] (in Azerbaijani), 2nd edition, volume 1, Baku: Şərq-Qərb, page 295

Barngarla

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbibi/

Noun

bibi

1. egg

   Synonym: bardi

References

• Page 61 of Zuckermann, Ghil'ad, Emmalene Richards and the Barngarla (2021), Mangiri Yarda (Healthy Country: Barngarla Wellbeing and Nature), Adelaide: Revivalistics Press.
• Goldsworthy, Anna (2014), Voices of the land: In Port Augusta, an Israeli linguist is helping the Barngarla people reclaim their language, The Monthly.

Bukhari

Alternative forms

• bivi

Etymology

Etymology tree

Manichaean Middle Persian 𐫁𐫏𐫏 𐫁𐫏 (byy by /⁠bībī⁠/)

Classical Persian بِی‌بِی (bī-bī)

Tajik бибӣ (bibi)

Bukhari bibi

Inherited from Tajik бибӣ (bibi).

Noun

bibi (Cyrillic spelling биби)

1. grandmother

References

• Gulkarov, Josef (2010), Этимологический словарь бухарско-еврейского языка с переводомна русский, англиский и иврит [Etymological Dictionary of Bukharian - Russian - English - Hebrew] (in Russian, English, and Hebrew), Tel Aviv: Union of Bukharian Jews in Israel, Jewish Agency
• Kimyagarov, Amnun; Kimyagarova, Zoya (2010), Short English - Russian - Bukharian Jewish Dictionary, New York: International Academy for Development Technologies, →ISBN, page 25

Cebuano

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: bi‧bi
• IPA^(key): /ˈbibi/ [ˈbiː.bi]

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Malay bebek.

Noun

bíbi (Badlit spelling ᜊᜒᜊᜒ)

1. a duck; any member of the form taxon of ducks

   Synonyms: pato, itik

Derived terms

• bibihan

Etymology 2

Unknown.

Noun

bíbi (Badlit spelling ᜊᜒᜊᜒ)

1. an edible saltwater clam, Venerupis philippinarum

See also

• punaw

Central Bikol

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *bibi.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbibi/ [ˈbi.bi]
• Hyphenation: bi‧bi

Noun

bíbi (Basahan spelling ᜊᜒᜊᜒ)

1. clam (freshwater type)

   Synonym: punaw

See also

• bingkay
• buskay

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbiʔbiʔ/ [ˈbiʔ.biʔ]
• Hyphenation: bi‧bi

Verb

bîbî (Basahan spelling ᜊᜒᜊᜒ)

1. alternative form of mibi

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from French bibi.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bi.bi/
• (This entry needs an audio pronunciation. If you are a native speaker with a microphone, please record this word. The recorded pronunciation will appear here when it's ready.)
• Hyphenation: bi‧bi

Pronoun

bibi

1. (informal, Belgium) yours truly (I, me or myself)

   Synonyms: ik, ikzelf

Usage notes

The accompanying verb is conjugated in the 3rd person singular. The word also has a diminutive: bibieke.

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bi.bi/

• Audio (France (Toulouse)):

  (file)

• Audio (Switzerland (Valais)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Vosges)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Vosges)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Saint-Étienne)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Lyon)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Somain)):

  (file)

Adjective

bibi (invariable)

1. dual-mode

Noun

bibi m (plural bibis)

1. a small, lady's hat
2. a bauble or trinket

Pronoun

bibi m or f

1. (informal) yours truly (I, me or myself)

   Synonyms: moi, ma pomme

   • 2015 January, Virginie Despentes, Vernon Subutex, volume 1, Éditions Grasset, →ISBN:

     Tu vas chez H&M. Et le crétin qui range derrière toi, c'est bibi.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Verb

bibi

1. (slang, inconjugable) to sling, to flog (viz. drugs)

   Synonyms: bicraver, dealer, vendre

   • 2025 December 5, “Kwanga”, JKSN (lyrics)‎^[4]:

     J’bibi pas pour satisfaire les bébés
     (J'traîne avec) J'traîne avec des mecs de Baby'
     Kichta balaise comme brouteurs d'Abobo

     To please gyal I don’t do patterns
     Man trains with Baby’s akhis
     Full wallet like Abobo scammers

Further reading

• “bibi”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012

Guinea-Bissau Creole

Etymology

From Portuguese beber. Cognate with Kabuverdianu bebi.

Verb

bibi

1. to drink

Hiligaynon

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Malay bebek.

Noun

bíbi

1. duck

Etymology 2

Unknown.

Noun

bîbî or bíbì

1. shore; beach

Hungarian

Etymology

Probably a nominalization of the present participle (formed with -i, a variant of -e (obsolete present-participle suffix)) of an unattested stem. The stem is of onomatopoeic origin and is possibly the same as in bíbelődik; it may also be related to the stem of babrál and babirkál. First attested in 1566. The term developed alongside bibe through a semantic split.

For phonetically similar equivalents of the “minor injury” sense (sense 1), see German Wehweh, Wehwehchen, French bobo, Czech bebé, bebíčko.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈbibi]
• Hyphenation: bi‧bi
• Rhymes: -bi

Noun

bibi (plural bibik)

2. (now often childish) disease, illness, especially a minor injury or wound

   Synonyms: bibe, baj, betegség, seb, sérülés, sebesülés

3. (archaic, often in the possessive) weak spot, vulnerability

   Synonyms: bibe, gyenge, gyengeség, gyenge pont

4. (informal, often in the possessive) snag, hitch (problem or difficulty with something)

   Synonyms: bibe, bökkenő, probléma

Declension

Inflection (stem in long/high vowel, front unrounded harmony)

	singular	plural
nominative	bibi	bibik
accusative	bibit	bibiket
dative	bibinek	bibiknek
instrumental	bibivel	bibikkel
causal-final	bibiért	bibikért
translative	bibivé	bibikké
terminative	bibiig	bibikig
essive-formal	bibiként	bibikként
essive-modal	—	—
inessive	bibiben	bibikben
superessive	bibin	bibiken
adessive	bibinél	bibiknél
illative	bibibe	bibikbe
sublative	bibire	bibikre
allative	bibihez	bibikhez
elative	bibiből	bibikből
delative	bibiről	bibikről
ablative	bibitől	bibiktől
non-attributive possessive – singular	bibié	bibiké
non-attributive possessive – plural	bibiéi	bibikéi

Possessive forms of bibi

possessor	single possession	multiple possessions
1st person sing.	bibim	bibijeim (or bibiim)
2nd person sing.	bibid	bibijeid (or bibiid)
3rd person sing.	bibije	bibijei (or bibii)
1st person plural	bibink	bibijeink (or bibiink)
2nd person plural	bibitek	bibijeitek (or bibiitek)
3rd person plural	bibijük	bibijeik (or bibiik)

Derived terms

• bibis

Further reading

• bibi in Géza Bárczi, László Országh, et al., editors, A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára [The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language] (ÉrtSz.), Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN.
• bibi 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).

Indonesian

Etymology

From Malay bibi.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /ˈbibi/ [ˈbi.bi]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ibi
• Syllabification: bi‧bi

Noun

bibi (plural bibi-bibi)

1. (formal) aunt

   Synonym: tante

   Antonym: paman

2. elderly woman (assumed have similar age to her/his aunt or based on appearance)
3. (chiefly Jakarta, derogatory) female servant; maid

Synonyms

• (mother's older sister): bude, encang
• (father's older sister): bude, encang
• (mother's younger sister): bulik, encing
• (father's younger sister): bulik, encing

Japanese

Romanization

bibi

1. Rōmaji transcription of びび

Latin

Verb

bibī

1. first-person singular perfect active indicative of bibō

Malay

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (This entry needs pronunciation information. If you are familiar with the IPA then please add some!)

Noun

bibi (plural bibi-bibi)

1. (Pontianak) Madurese female seller or peddler

Portuguese

Etymology

Onomatopoeic.

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /biˈbi/

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /biˈbi/ [biˈβi]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /biˈbi/ [biˈβi]
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /biˈbi/

• Hyphenation: bi‧bi
• Homophone: Bibi

Interjection

bibi

1. (onomatopoeic, childish) beep-beep (imitation of car horn, used, for example, to clear a path for oneself)

Romani

Etymology

Possibly Borrowed from Persian بی‌بی. Compare Hindi बीबी (bībī).

Noun

bibi f (nominative plural bibǎ)

1. aunt

Further reading

• Marcel Courthiade (2009), “i/e bib/i, -ǎ ʒ. -ǎ, -ěn”, in Melinda Rézműves, editor, Morri angluni rromane ćhibǎqi evroputni lavustik = Első rromani nyelvű európai szótáram : cigány, magyar, angol, francia, spanyol, német, ukrán, román, horvát, szlovák, görög [My First European-Romani Dictionary: Romani, Hungarian, English, French, Spanish, German, Ukrainian, Romanian, Croatian, Slovak, Greek] (overall work in Hungarian and English), Budapest: Fővárosi Onkormányzat Cigány Ház--Romano Kher, →ISBN
• Yūsuke Sumi (2018), “bibi”, in ニューエクスプレスプラス　ロマ（ジプシー）語 [New Express Plus Romani (Gypsy)] (in Japanese), Tokyo: Hakusuisha, published 2021, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 22

Rukai

Etymology

From Malay bebek.

Noun

bibi

1. duck

Spanish

Etymology

Short for biberón.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbibi/ [ˈbi.β̞i]
• Rhymes: -ibi
• Syllabification: bi‧bi

Noun

bibi m (plural bibis)

1. (colloquial) baby bottle

Swahili

Alternative forms

• (abbreviation) Bi.

Etymology

Borrowed from Omani Arabic بيبي (bībi), from Persian بی‌بی (bī-bī / bi-bi). See there for more.

Pronunciation

• (Unguja standard) IPA^(key): /ˈɓi.ɓi/

• Audio (Kenya):

  (file)

Noun

bibi class V (plural mabibi class VI)

1. lady; mistress (female master or the female equivalent of a gentleman)
2. Mrs.
3. grandmother
4. (card games) queen

Coordinate terms

• bwana

Derived terms

• kibibi (“young lady”)

See also

Playing cards in Swahili · karata za kucheza (layout · text)
ree, rea, rei	mbili	tatu	nne	tano	sita	saba
nane	tisa	kumi	ghulamu, mzungu wa tatu	malkia, mzungu wa pili, bibi	mfalme, mzungu wa nne, basha	jokari

Talysh

Etymology

Borrowed from Azerbaijani bibi, ultimately from Persian بی‌بی.

Noun

bibi

1. paternal aunt

Ternate

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈbi.bi]

Noun

bibi

1. any of several fish in Tetraodontidae and Ostraciidae

References

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

Tetum

Noun

bibi

1. goat

Thao

Noun

bibi

1. (anatomy) chin

Turkish

Etymology

Etymology tree

Manichaean Middle Persian 𐫁𐫏𐫏 𐫁𐫏 (byy by /⁠bībī⁠/)

Persian بی‌بی (bi-bi)

Ottoman Turkish بی بی (bîbî)

Turkish bibi

Inherited from Ottoman Turkish بی بی (bîbî), from Persian بی‌بی (bi-bi).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /biˈbi/
• Hyphenation: bi‧bi

Noun

bibi (definite accusative bibiyi, plural bibiler)

1. (colloquial) paternal aunt (sister of someone's father)

Declension

Declension of bibi

singular plural nominative bibi bibiler definite accusative bibiyi bibileri dative bibiye bibilere locative bibide bibilerde ablative bibiden bibilerden genitive bibinin bibilerin Possessive forms nominative singular plural 1st singular bibim bibilerim 2nd singular bibin bibilerin 3rd singular bibisi bibileri 1st plural bibimiz bibilerimiz 2nd plural bibiniz bibileriniz 3rd plural bibileri bibileri definite accusative singular plural 1st singular bibimi bibilerimi 2nd singular bibini bibilerini 3rd singular bibisini bibilerini 1st plural bibimizi bibilerimizi 2nd plural bibinizi bibilerinizi 3rd plural bibilerini bibilerini dative singular plural 1st singular bibime bibilerime 2nd singular bibine bibilerine 3rd singular bibisine bibilerine 1st plural bibimize bibilerimize 2nd plural bibinize bibilerinize 3rd plural bibilerine bibilerine locative singular plural 1st singular bibimde bibilerimde 2nd singular bibinde bibilerinde 3rd singular bibisinde bibilerinde 1st plural bibimizde bibilerimizde 2nd plural bibinizde bibilerinizde 3rd plural bibilerinde bibilerinde ablative singular plural 1st singular bibimden bibilerimden 2nd singular bibinden bibilerinden 3rd singular bibisinden bibilerinden 1st plural bibimizden bibilerimizden 2nd plural bibinizden bibilerinizden 3rd plural bibilerinden bibilerinden genitive singular plural 1st singular bibimin bibilerimin 2nd singular bibinin bibilerinin 3rd singular bibisinin bibilerinin 1st plural bibimizin bibilerimizin 2nd plural bibinizin bibilerinizin 3rd plural bibilerinin bibilerinin Predicative forms singular plural 1st singular bibiyim bibilerim 2nd singular bibisin bibilersin 3rd singular bibi bibidir bibiler bibilerdir 1st plural bibiyiz bibileriz 2nd plural bibisiniz bibilersiniz 3rd plural bibiler bibilerdir

Synonyms

• hala

See also

• teyze

Further reading

• “bibi”, in Turkish dictionaries, Türk Dil Kurumu
• Ayverdi, İlhan (2010), “bibi”, in Misalli Büyük Türkçe Sözlük, a reviewed and expanded single-volume edition, Istanbul: Kubbealtı Neşriyatı
• Nişanyan, Sevan (2002–), “bibi”, in Nişanyan Sözlük

Tyap

Etymology

Short for a̱bi + a̱bi.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bíbí/

Noun

bibi

1. graves

Yami

Etymology

Borrowed from Malay bebek. Compare Rukai bibi & Saisiyat bibi.

Noun

bibi

1. duck