bilingual

American  

[bahy-ling-gwuhl, -ling-gyoo-uhl] / baɪˈlɪŋ gwəl, -ˈlɪŋ gyu əl /

adjective

1. able to speak two languages with the facility of a native speaker.

2. spoken, written, or containing similar information in two different languages.

   a bilingual dictionary; Public notices at the embassy are bilingual.

3. of, involving, or using two languages.

   a bilingual community; bilingual schools.

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noun

1. a bilingual person.

bilingual British  

/ baɪˈlɪŋɡwəl /

adjective

1. able to speak two languages, esp with fluency

2. written or expressed in two languages

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noun

1. a bilingual person

Usage

What does bilingual mean? Bilingual is most commonly used to describe someone who can speak or understand two languages, especially with some level of fluency.It can also be used to describe things that involve or that are written or spoken in two languages, as in These instructions are bilingual—they’re written in English and Spanish.The similar terms trilingual and multilingual are used in the same way, with trilingual indicating three languages and multilingual indicating more than two and especially several languages.The ability to speak two languages or the use of two languages is called bilingualism.Example: Being bilingual is a great advantage for many job seekers.

Other Word Forms

• bilingualism noun
• bilingually adverb

Etymology

Origin of bilingual

1835–45; < Latin bilingu ( is ) ( bi- bi- ¹ + lingu-, stem of lingua tongue + -is adj. suffix) + -al ¹

Example Sentences

Shoppers in a Tesco branch in Cornwall were left amused after spotting bilingual signs in Welsh rather than Cornish.

From BBC

The province's president Arno Kompatscher told AFP that place names were bilingual out of "respect for people's sensitivities" in an area with a turbulent history.

From Barron's

Its branches are staffed with bilingual speakers, with Salinas majority Hispanic.

From The Wall Street Journal

Since 2020 New Directions has been putting out bilingual editions of these poems, with “The Complete Works of Ricardo Reis” being the latest.

From Los Angeles Times

Two months and some cursory learning later, I found myself visiting him in Montréal, deeply envious of all of the bilingual and French-proficient Canadians and American expats he introduced me to.

From Salon