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biga

American  
[bee-gah, -guh, bahy-] / ˈbi gɑ, -gə, ˈbaɪ- /

noun

Classical Antiquity.

plural

bigae
  1. a two-wheeled chariot drawn by two horses harnessed abreast.


Etymology

Origin of biga

1840–50; < Latin bīga, bīgae, for *biiuga ( bi- bi- 1 + iug ( um ) yoke 1 + -a feminine nominative singular ending)

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.

Commonly, ciabatta is leavened with instant yeast, usually mixed up as a biga.

From Salon • Jul. 7, 2021

A biga is an Italian-style preferment typically left for around 12 hours to ripen, bringing additional flavor and textural benefits to the final dough.

From Salon • Jul. 7, 2021

The pies — their crusts flavored with a touch of biga, the slightly fermented starter — are worth a visit to Stellina all by themselves.

From Washington Post • Dec. 20, 2019

Add 1½ cups of the biga to the yeast mixture and mix with your fingers for one to two minutes to break it up.

From Slate • Apr. 15, 2013

Bat, biga, hirur, laur, bortz, sei, zazpi, zortzi, bederatzi, hamar, hameca, hamabi, Hamahirur, hamalaur, hamabortz, hamasei, hamazazpi, hemezortzi, hemeretzi, hogoi.

From Basque Legends With an Essay on the Basque Language by Webster, Wentworth