bite

See also: Appendix:Variations of "bite"

English

Etymology

Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyd-
Proto-Indo-European *-t
Proto-Indo-European *bʰéydt
Proto-Germanic *bītaną
Proto-West Germanic *bītan
Old English bītan
Middle English biten
English bite

    From Middle English biten, from Old English bītan (“bite”), from Proto-West Germanic *bītan, from Proto-Germanic *bītaną (“bite”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyd- (“split”).

    Cognates include Saterland Frisian biete (“bite”), West Frisian bite (“bite”), Dutch bijten (“bite”), German Low German bieten (“bite”), German beißen, beissen (“bite”), Danish bide (“bite”), Swedish bita (“bite”), Norwegian Bokmål bite (“bite”), Norwegian Nynorsk bita (“bite”), Faroese and Icelandic bíta (“bite”), Gothic 𐌱𐌴𐌹𐍄𐌰𐌽 (beitan, “bite”), Latin findō (“split”), Ancient Greek φείδομαι (pheídomai), Sanskrit भिद् (bhid, “break”).

    Pronunciation

    • enPR: bīt, IPA(key): /baɪt/
    • Rhymes: -aɪt
    • Audio (US):(file)
    • Audio (General American):(file)
    • Homophones: bight, by't, byte

    Verb

    bite (third-person singular simple present bites, present participle biting, simple past bit, past participle bitten or bit)

    1. (transitive) To cut into something by clamping the teeth.
      As soon as you bite that sandwich, you'll know how good it is.
    2. (transitive) To hold something by clamping one's teeth.
    3. (intransitive) To attack with the teeth.
      That dog is about to bite!
    4. (intransitive, chiefly in the negative) To behave aggressively; to reject advances.
      If you see me, come and say hello. I don't bite.
    5. (intransitive) To take hold; to establish firm contact with.
      I needed snow chains to make the tires bite.
    6. (intransitive) To have significant effect, often negative.
      For homeowners with adjustable rate mortgages, rising interest will really bite.
    7. (intransitive, of a fish) To bite a baited hook or other lure and thus be caught.
      Are the fish biting today?
    8. (intransitive, figurative) To accept something offered, often secretly or deceptively, to cause some action by the acceptor.
      I've planted the story. Do you think they'll bite?
    9. (intransitive, transitive, of an insect) To sting.(Can we verify(+) this sense?)
      These mosquitoes are really biting today!
      • 1922, James Joyce, “Penelope”, in Ulysses‎[1], Paris: Shakespeare and Company:
        Whit Monday is a cursed day too no wonder that bee bit him better the seaside
      • 1982, Raymond E. Fowler, The Andreasson Affair, Phase Two‎[2], Prentice-Hall, →ISBN, →LCCN, page 53:
        I'm crying because the bee bit me. [...] I told her that the bee hit me and stung me right there.
      • 2006, pattrice jones, “Stomping with the Elephants: Feminist Principles for Radical Solidarity”, in Igniting a Revolution: Voices in Defense of the Earth‎[3], AK Press, →ISBN, →LCCN, page 330:
        In the state of Louisiana, bees bit back when children threw rocks at their hive. [...] stings suffered by the aggressive children.
      • 2012, Alice Hoffman, The Dovekeepers‎[4], Scribner, →ISBN:
        When a wasp bit me and a red welt rose on my arm, [...] I burned from the sting of the wasp but insisted I was fine.
    10. (intransitive) To cause a smarting sensation; to have a property which causes such a sensation; to be pungent.
      It bites like pepper or mustard.
    11. (transitive, sometimes figurative) To cause sharp pain or damage to; to hurt or injure.
      Pepper bites the mouth.
    12. (intransitive) To cause sharp pain; to produce anguish; to hurt or injure; to have the property of so doing.
    13. (intransitive) To take or keep a firm hold.
      The anchor bites.
    14. (transitive) To take hold of; to hold fast; to adhere to.
      The anchor bites the ground.
    15. (stative, slang) To lack quality; to be worthy of derision; to suck.
      This music really bites.
    16. (transitive, informal, vulgar) To perform oral sex on. Used in invective.
      You don't like that I sat on your car? Bite me.
    17. (intransitive, African-American Vernacular, slang) To plagiarize, to imitate.
      He always be biting my moves.
    18. (obsolete, transitive, slang) To deceive or defraud; to take in.

    Hyponyms

    Derived terms

    Descendants

    • Sranan Tongo: beti
    • Portuguese: baitar (hip-hop slang)

    Translations

    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
    Translations to be checked

    Noun

    bite (countable and uncountable, plural bites)

    1. The act of biting.
    3. The wound left behind after having been bitten.
      That snake bite really hurts!
    4. The swelling of one's skin caused by an insect's mouthparts or sting.
      Synonym: sting
      After just one night in the jungle I was covered with mosquito bites.
    5. A piece of food of a size that would be produced by biting; a mouthful.
      There were only a few bites left on the plate.
      • 1906, Hamilton Drummond, The Chain of Seven Lives, F. V. White & Co., Ltd., pages 182–183:
        Not a soul in Corlaix will dare give us bite, sup, or shelter; and we shall die starved in a ditch, all four of us—that much we are our own, but in all else we are Monseigneur’s; all else, I say, all—all.
      • 2026 September 18, Octavio Peña, “A salmon dish as a last hurrah for summer produce”, in San Francisco Chronicle‎[5], archived from the original on 23 September 2026:
        The zucchini can be cut into strips if you prefer a larger bite.
    6. (slang) Something unpleasant.
      • 1985 December 7, Sib Connor, “9to5: Still Putting In A Day's Work”, in Gay Community News, volume 13, number 21, page 2:
        In February of this year, 9to5 was forced to lay off four of its paid staff, and began to feel the bite of its high-rent downtown office space.
    7. (slang) An act of plagiarism.
      That song is a bite of my song!
    8. A small meal or snack.
      a bite to eat
      I'll have a quick bite to quiet my stomach until dinner.
    9. (figuratively, uncountable) incisiveness, provocativeness, exactness.
    10. (figuratively, uncountable) Aggression.
      • 1996 April 22, Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times:
        Kathy Santen is full of bite as the bizarrely seduced Lady Anne, although her exaggerated diction is a bit too snappishly Shakespearean.
      • 1998, Vidyut Bhagwat, “Pandita Ramabai’s Strī-Dharma Nīti and Tarabai Shinde’s Strī-Puruṣ Tulanā: The Inner Unity of the Texts”, in Anne Feldhaus, editor, Images of Women in Maharashtrian Society, State University of New York Press, →ISBN, page 211:
        In Tarabai’s text this exposure is direct, unusually blunt, full of bite and ridicule, and highly polemical.
      • 2011 March 2, Saj Chowdhury, “Man City 3 - 0 Aston Villa”, in BBC‎[7], archived from the original on 19 November 2025:
        City scored the goals but periods of ball possession were shared - the difference being Villa lacked bite in the opposition final third.
    11. The hold which the short end of a lever has upon the thing to be lifted, or the hold which one part of a machine has upon another.
    12. (colloquial, dated) A cheat; a trick; a fraud.
      • 1725, Thomas Gordon, The Humorist:
        The baser methods of getting money by fraud and bite, by deceiving and overreaching.
    13. (colloquial, dated, slang) A sharper; one who cheats.
      • 1751, [Tobias] Smollett, “Pickle Seems Tolerably Well Reconciled to His Cage; […] ”, in The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle […], volume IV, London: Harrison and Co., […], →OCLC, page 173:
        [I]t was conjectured, that Peregrine was a bite from the beginning, who had found credit on account of his effrontery and appearance, and impoſed himſelf upon the town as a young gentleman of fortune.
      • 1828, The Newcastle Magazine, volume 7, page 85:
        So he went home cursing the Yorkshire bites, and swearing there was no living among them […]
    14. (printing) A blank on the edge or corner of a page, owing to a portion of the frisket, or something else, intervening between the type and paper.
    15. (slang) A cut, a proportion of profits; an amount of money.
      • 1993, William S. Burroughs, edited by Oliver Harris, The Letters of William S. Burroughs, 1945–1959, New York: Penguin, →ISBN, page 92:
        I know three Americans who are running a bar. The cops come in all the time for a bite.
    16. (television) Ellipsis of sound bite.
      • 2015, Robert A. Papper, Broadcast News and Writing Stylebook:
        cold open: Starting a TV newscast with video or a bite from the lead story rather than starting with the anchor or the standard show open.
    17. (cricket) The turn that a spin bowler imparts to a pitch.

    Derived terms

    Terms derived from bite (noun senses)

    Descendants

    Translations

    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
    Translations to be checked

    Anagrams

    Czech

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): [ˈbɪtɛ]
    • Homophone: byte

    Noun

    bite

    1. vocative singular of bit

    French

    Alternative forms

    Etymology

    From Old Norse biti (“beam, girder”), from Proto-Germanic *bitô, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyd- (“to split”).

    Pronunciation

    Noun

    bite f (plural bites)

    1. (slang, vulgar) knob, cock, dick
      Synonyms: pine, sguègue, teub, zob
      Il a souri quand j'ai mis la main entre ses cuisses et je me suis mise à frotter sa grosse bite.
      He smiled when I put my hand between his thighs and started to rub his big cock.
      • 2006, “Je veux te voir”, in Pop Up, performed by Yelle:
        Je veux te voir / Dans un film pornographique / En action avec ta bite / Forme potatoes ou bien frites
        I want to see you / In a porno film / In action with your dick / Whether it's a French fry or a chunky chip
      • 2012, “Wesh Morray”, in Futur, performed by Booba:
        J'sors ma bite je la baise, tu sors ton biff tu la sors
        I get out my dick and I fuck her, you get out your cash and take her out
      • 2015 [2004], Stéphane Dompierre, Un petit pas pour l'homme, →ISBN, page 57:
        J’ai la bite tellement raide que si son copain passe, il pourra me l’arracher et me péter les dents avec. Je vis dans un film érotique et je ne baise pas. Je n’y comprends rien.
        My cock is so hard that if her boyfriend comes by, he'll be able to rip it off and smash my teeth in with it. I live in a porn film and I'm not getting laid. I don't understand it.

    Derived terms

    Further reading

    Garo

    Etymology

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

    Noun

    bite

    1. fruit

    Italian

    Etymology

    Unadapted borrowing from English bite.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ˈbajt/
    • Rhymes: -ajt

    Noun

    bite m (invariable)

    1. (dentistry) split (dental device)

    Khumi Chin

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /bi˩.te˧/

    Adjective

    bite

    1. hot

    References

    • K. E. Herr (2011), The phonological interpretation of minor syllables, applied to Lemi Chin‎[8], Payap University, page 74

    Latvian

    Etymology

    From Proto-Balto-Slavic *bitīˀ (compare Lithuanian bi̇̀tė), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰey-, *bʰī-. Cognate to English bee.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): [ˈbitːɛ]

    Noun

    bite f (5th declension)

    1. bee

    Declension

    Declension of bite (5th)
    singular plural
    nominative bite bites
    genitive bites bišu
    dative bitei bitēm
    accusative biti bites
    instrumental biti bitēm
    locative bitē bitēs
    vocative bite bites

    Lithuanian

    Noun

    bitè

    1. instrumental singular of bi̇̀tė (“bee”)

    Noun

    bi̇̀te

    1. instrumental singular of bi̇̀tė (“bee”)

    Middle English

    Etymology 1

    A conflation of two words, both ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyd- (“to split”):

    Alternative forms

    Pronunciation

    Noun

    bite (plural bites)

    1. A bite; the act of biting:
      1. A mouthful of food (especially which has been bitten off).
      2. The incision or wound left by a bite.
      3. (figuratively) The sting or pain of Death.
    2. A cut or incision made by a weapon.
    3. The blade or point of a weapon (or occasionally, tool).
    4. A bit (metal piece for a horse's mouth)
    5. (rare) A bit (piece or portion).
    Descendants
    References

    Etymology 2

    Noun

    bite

    1. alternative form of bitte

    Etymology 3

    Verb

    bite

    1. alternative form of biten

    Murui Huitoto

    Etymology

    Cognates include Minica Huitoto bite and Nüpode Huitoto bitde.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): [ˈbitɛ]
    • Hyphenation: bi‧te

    Verb

    bite

    1. (intransitive) to come

    Conjugation

    Conjugation of bite
    Nonfuture indicative Future indicative
    affirmative negative affirmative negative
    m f m f m f m f
    1st sg bitɨkue biñedɨkue 1st sg biitɨkue biñeitɨkue
    2nd sg bito biñedo 2nd sg biito biñeito
    3rd sg anim1) bitɨmɨe bitɨñaiño biñedɨmɨe biñedɨñaiño 3rd sg anim1) biitɨmɨe biitɨñaiño biñeitɨmɨe biñeitɨñaiño
    1st du bitɨkoko bitɨkaɨñaɨ biñedɨkoko biñedɨkaɨñaɨ 1st du biitɨkoko biitɨkaɨñaɨ biñeitɨkoko biñeitɨkaɨñaɨ
    2nd du bitomɨko bitomɨñoɨ biñedomɨko biñedomɨñoɨ 2nd du biitomɨko biitomɨñoɨ biñeitomɨko biñeitomɨñoɨ
    3rd du anim1) bitaɨmaiaɨ bitaɨñuaɨ biñedaɨmaiaɨ biñedaɨñuaɨ 3rd du anim1) biitaɨmaiaɨ biitaɨñuaɨ biñeitaɨmaiaɨ biñeitaɨñuaɨ
    1st pl bitɨkaɨ biñedɨkaɨ 1st pl biitɨkaɨ biñeitɨkaɨ
    2nd pl bitomoɨ biñedomoɨ 2nd pl biitomoɨ biñeitomoɨ
    3rd pl anim1) bitɨmakɨ biñedɨmakɨ 3rd pl anim1) biitɨmakɨ biñeitɨmakɨ
    3rd neut bite biñede 3rd neut biite biñeite
    Imperative Apprehensive Passive Negative passive Overlap
    simple immediate prohibitive nonfuture future nonfuture future
    bi!
    biño!     		biñokai! biñeno! biza! — — — — bikana
    Conditional Agentive nominal
    real hypothetical immediate negative m f
    bia bina bikaina biñenia biraɨma biraɨño
    Affirmative nominal 2) Negative nominal
    nonfuture I nonfuture II nonfuture III nonfuture IV future nonfuture future
    absolutive bia biya bija bina biye biñena biñeye
    Show case inflection of nominals
    nominative biadɨ biyadɨ bijadɨ binadɨ biyedɨ biñenadɨ biñeyedɨ
    accusative biana biyana bijana binana biyena biñenana biñeyena
    locative biamo biyamo bijamo binamo biyemo biñenamo biñeyemo
    ablative biamona biyamona bijamona binamona biyemona biñenamona biñeyemona
    instrumental biado biyado bijado binado biyedo biñenado biñeyedo
    causal biari biyari bijari binari biyeri biñenari biñeyeri
    privative bianino biyanino bijanino binanino biyenino biñenanino biñeyenino
    sequential bianona biyanona bijanona binanona biyenona biñenanona biñeyenona

    1) The animate 3rd person inflections are only used when the animacy of the subject needs to be emphasised. Otherwise, the neutral 3rd singular is used.
    2) Not all types of nonfuture nominalisers may be attestable depending on the verb.
    *) Same-time forms may be formed from any indicative form by adding the ending -mo directly to the inflected form.
    **) The evidentiality markers -dɨ, -za and -ta may be added to any indicative form.

    Derived terms

    References

    • Shirley Burtch (1983), Diccionario Huitoto Murui (Tomo I) (Linguistica Peruana No. 20)‎[9] (in Spanish), Yarinacocha, Peru: Instituto Lingüístico de Verano, page 36
    • Katarzyna Izabela Wojtylak (2017), A grammar of Murui (Bue): a Witotoan language of Northwest Amazonia.‎[10], Townsville: James Cook University press (PhD thesis), page 76

    Neapolitan

    Noun

    bite

    1. plural of bita

    North Frisian

    Alternative forms

    Etymology

    From Old Frisian bīta, from Proto-West Germanic *bītan.

    Pronunciation

    Verb

    bite

    1. (Mooring, Halligen) to bite

    Conjugation

    Conjugation of bite (Mooring dialect)
    infinitive I bite
    infinitive II (tu) biten
    infinitive III än bit
    past participle ban
    imperative bit
      present past
    1st-person singular bit biitj
    2nd-person singular batst biitjst
    3rd-person singular bat biitj
    plural bite biitjen
      perfect pluperfect
    1st-person singular hääw ban häi ban
    2nd-person singular hääst ban häist ban
    3rd-person singular heet ban häi ban
    plural hääwe ban häin ban
      future (schale) future (wårde)
    1st-person singular schal bite wård bite
    2nd-person singular schäät bite wårst bite
    3rd-person singular schal bite wårt bite
    plural schan bite wårde bite

    Norwegian Bokmål

    Etymology

    From Old Norse bíta, from Proto-Germanic *bītaną, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyd- (“to split”).

    Verb

    bite (present tense biter, past tense bet or beit, past participle bitt, present participle bitende)

    1. To bite.

    Derived terms

    References

    Norwegian Nynorsk

    Verb

    bite (present tense bit, past tense beit, supine bite, past participle biten, present participle bitande, imperative bit)

    1. e-infinitive form of bita (in dialects with e-infinitive or split infinitive)

    References

    Old English

    Etymology

    From Proto-West Germanic *biti.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ˈbi.te/
    • Rhymes: -i.te

    Noun

    bite m

    1. bite

    Descendants

    Polish

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ˈbi.tɛ/
    • Rhymes: -itɛ
    • Syllabification: bi‧te

    Participle

    bite

    1. inflection of bity:
      1. nominative/accusative/vocative neuter singular
      2. nonvirile nominative/accusative/vocative plural

    Slovak

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /bice/, [ˈbice]
    • Rhymes: -ice
    • Hyphenation: bi‧te
    • Homophone: byte

    Verb

    bite

    1. second-person plural imperative of biť

    Turkish

    Noun

    bite

    1. dative singular of bit

    West Frisian

    Etymology

    From Old Frisian bīta.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ˈbitə/

    Verb

    bite

    1. To bite.

    Inflection

    Strong class 1
    infinitive bite
    3rd singular past biet
    past participle biten
    infinitive bite
    long infinitive biten
    gerund biten n
    auxiliary hawwe
    indicative present tense past tense
    1st singular byt biet
    2nd singular bytst bietst
    clitic form bytsto bietsto
    3rd singular byt biet
    plural bite bieten
    imperative byt
    participles bitend biten

    Further reading

    • “bite (I)”, in Wurdboek fan de Fryske taal (in Dutch), 2011
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