biga

[ bee-gah, -guh, bahy- ]

/ ˈbi gɑ, -gə, ˈbaɪ- /

Save This Word!

noun, plural bi·gae

[bee-gee, -jee, -gahy, bahy-]. /ˈbi gi, -dʒi, -gaɪ, ˈbaɪ-/. Classical Antiquity.

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

QUIZ

GOOSES. GEESES. I WANT THIS QUIZ ON PLURAL NOUNS!

Test how much you really know about regular and irregular plural nouns with this quiz.

Question 1 of 9

Which of the following nouns has an irregular plural form?

Origin of biga

1840–50; <Latin bīga, bīgae, for *biiuga (bi-bi-¹ + iug(um) yoke¹ + -a feminine nominative singular ending)

Farther on is the village of Biga, with a population of about one hundred and fifty Indians.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803, Volume V., 1582-1583|Various
The land rent is levied by so much on each crop, by a biga of nine common cubits the Katha, equal to 72,900 square feet.
An Account of The Kingdom of Nepal|Fancis Buchanan Hamilton
The biga is an antique carriage of white marble, drawn by two horses.
A Visit to the Holy Land, Egypt, and Italy|Ida Pfeiffer
Here also was made the rare discovery of the skeletons of two horses, with the remains of a biga.
Museum of Antiquity|L. W. Yaggy

The biga itself consists of a seat resting on the axle, with a rail at each side to protect the driver from the wheels.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 8|Various