bib

¹ American  

[bib] / bɪb /

noun

1. a piece of cloth, plastic, or paper that covers the chest and is often tied under the chin of a child to protect the clothing while the child is eating.

2. any similar cloth or part of a garment.

3. the front part of an apron, overalls, or similar protective garment above the waist.

4. Fencing. a piece of canvas attached to the base of the mask, for protecting the throat.

5. bibcock.

---

verb (used with or without object)

bibbed, bibbing

1. Archaic. to tipple; drink.

idioms

1. put / stick one's bib in, to interfere.

bib. ² American  

abbreviation

1. (in prescriptions) drink.

---

Bib. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. Bible.

2. Biblical.

---

bib British  

/ bɪb /

noun

1. a piece of cloth or plastic worn, esp by babies, to protect their clothes while eating

2. the upper part of some aprons, dungarees, etc, that covers the upper front part of the body

3. Also called: pout.   whiting pout.  a light-brown European marine gadoid food fish, Gadus (or Trisopterus ) luscus , with a barbel on its lower jaw

4. short for bibcock

5. informal to interfere

---

verb

1. archaic to drink (something); tipple

Other Word Forms

• bibless adjective
• biblike adjective

Etymology

Origin of bib¹

1275–1325; Middle English bibben to drink < Latin bibere

Origin of bib.²

From the Latin word bibe

Explanation

A bib is a small piece of fabric that's tied under a baby's chin to keep food or milk from staining her clothes. If you feed a toddler without using a bib, you'll quickly learn how useful it can be. A baby's bib is just one type — there is also the bib that makes up the top part of overalls or an apron, the section that covers the chest. Sometimes the corresponding part of a bird's body, a patch of color on the chest, is also called a bib. The word stems from the now-obsolete verb bibben, "to drink," which is thought to be imitative of the sound your lips make as they sip liquid.

Example Sentences

But seeing her one-time protégé wearing bib No. 13 made Street very worried.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 13, 2026

In challenging conditions, with a lower starting gate due to poor weather and visibility, in the number six bib, Vonn was on form from start to finish.

From Barron's • Jan. 10, 2026

But the Cobbe resembles the Wadlow picture in age and attitude: The “head-on-a-plate” effect is accentuated by an exaggerated lace bib that surrounds a smaller collar.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 11, 2025

He was a bib overall-wearing peanut farmer who appealed to us on a variety of levels.

From Salon • Jan. 2, 2025

He was bigger than the rest, wearing a lion’s cape like a Roman standard bearer and a plastic bib with a lobster on it.

From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan