bilingual

[ bahy-ling-gwuh l or, Canadian, -ling-gyoo-uh l ]

/ baɪˈlɪŋ gwəl or, Canadian, -ˈlɪŋ gyu əl /

adjective

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

spoken, written, or containing similar information in two different languages: a bilingual dictionary; Public notices at the embassy are bilingual.

of, involving, or using two languages: a bilingual community; bilingual schools.

noun

a bilingual person.

QUIZZES

TAKE THIS QUIZ TO SEE WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL PUNCTUATION!

Commas mark divisions in sentences. Periods end declarative sentences. Apostrophes show possession. Easy, right? Well, punctuation can get pretty tricky—fast. Think you got what it takes to be a punctuation expert? Take our quiz to prove it!

Question 1 of 10

Which of the options below is the best punctuation for the sentence? It__s your turn to pick the movie __ but your sister gets to pick the board game we _ re going to play.

Its your turn to pick the movie but your sister gets to pick the board game we’re going to play.

It’s your turn to pick the movie but your sister gets to pick the board game were going to play.

It’s your turn to pick the movie, but your sister gets to pick the board game we’re going to play.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of bilingual

1835–45; < Latin bilingu(is) (bi- bi-¹ + lingu-, stem of lingua tongue + -is adj. suffix) + -al¹

OTHER WORDS FROM bilingual

bi·lin·gual·ly, adverb

Words nearby bilingual

biligenesis, bilinear, bilinear form, bilinear transformation, bilineate, bilingual, bilingual education, bilingualism, bilious, bilirachia, bilirubin

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for bi-lingual

The Navaho portions of later pamphlets in this bi-lingual series are the joint work of Harrington and Young.
Little Man's Family|J. B. Enochs
These bi-lingual texts are an attempt to speed up Indian understanding of modern life.
Little Man's Family|J. B. Enochs
A fragment of what might very possibly turn out to be a bi-lingual inscription was the last find.
Lady Merton, Colonist|Mrs. Humphry Ward
In bi-lingual districts children's answers would have a special value.
Literary Tours in The Highlands and Islands of Scotland|Daniel Turner Holmes

“Bi-lingual,” said the constable, with an air of importance.
When William Came|Saki

British Dictionary definitions for bi-lingual

bilingual

/ (baɪˈlɪŋɡwəl) /

adjective

able to speak two languages, esp with fluency

written or expressed in two languages

noun

a bilingual person

Derived forms of bilingual

bilingualism, nounbilingually, adverb

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