Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Jump To:
  • BB
    BB
    noun
    a size of shot, 0.18 inch (0.46 centimeter) in diameter, fired from an air rifle or BB gun.
  • bb.
    bb.
    abbreviation
    ball bearing.
  • B/B
    B/B
    bottled in bond.
  • b.b.
    b.b.
    abbreviation
    bail bond.
  • B.B.
    B.B.
    abbreviation
    bail bond.
  • bb
    bb
    abbreviation
    Barbados
Synonyms

BB

1 American  
[bee-bee] / ˈbiˌbi /

noun

  1. a size of shot, 0.18 inch (0.46 centimeter) in diameter, fired from an air rifle or BB gun.

  2. Also called BB shot.  shot of this size.


BB 2 American  
  1. a quality rating for a corporate or municipal bond, lower than BBB and higher than B.


bb. 3 American  

abbreviation

  1. ball bearing.

  2. Baseball. base on balls; bases on balls.


B/B 4 American  
  1. bottled in bond.


b.b. 5 American  

abbreviation

  1. bail bond.

  2. baseboard.


B.B. 6 American  

abbreviation

  1. bail bond.

  2. Blue Book.

  3. B'nai B'rith.

  4. Bureau of the Budget.


BB 1 British  

abbreviation

  1. Boys' Brigade

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

symbol

  1. double black: denoting a very soft lead

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
bb 2 British  

abbreviation

  1. Barbados

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What else does bb mean? In text messages and online, bb can be short for baby, especially as it's used as a term of endearment for significant others or friends. In this sense, it can sometimes be pronounced as [bey-bee]. Bb can also be short for quite a few other things, including basketball, bye-bye, the pellets of a BB gun, and some NSFW applications.

Etymology

Origin of BB

An Americanism dating back to 1870–75

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

High Yield Index has “the highest percentage of BB bonds on record.”

From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026

But once he explains that he technically works at the company that owns QNX, he knows exactly how they will respond: BlackBerry BB 0.14%increase; green up pointing triangle still exists?

From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026

But they did not find any evidence of BB, the three men or the car.

From BBC • Feb. 16, 2026

It inspire Simone de Beauvoir in 1960 to say, "BB now deserves to be considered an export product as important as Renault automobiles."

From Barron's • Dec. 28, 2025

Satisfied, Aunt BB and I took off for our house.

From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "BB" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com