bilingual

[ bahy-ling-gwuhl or, Canadian, -ling-gyoo-uhl ]

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

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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.

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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

biliary, bilinear, bilinear form, bilinear transformation, bilineate, bilingual, bilingual education, bilingualism, bilious, bilirubin, biliteral

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT BILINGUAL

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.

Where does bilingual come from?

The first records of the word bilingual come from the 1830s. It’s composed of bi-, meaning “two,” and lingual, which means “pertaining to languages.” Lingual shares a root with other language-related words, like linguistics and linguaphile.

Some people who are bilingual may be masters of both of the languages they speak. But a person might be described—or describe themselves—as bilingual even if they’re not fluent in the second language. Some people may be bilingual when they learn a language in addition to their native language, but some people may be bilingual due to having two native languages.

Countries are often described as bilingual when they have two official or widely used languages. Canada is often called a bilingual country since both English and French are widely spoken in certain places, though of course many other languages are spoken there, including many different Indigenous languages.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to bilingual?

bilingually (adverb)
bilingualism (noun)

What are some synonyms for bilingual?

multilingual

What are some words that share a root or word element with bilingual?

What are some words that often get used in discussing bilingual?

How is bilingual used in real life?

Bilingual is most commonly used to describe people who speak two languages, but it’s also commonly used to describe other things written in or involving two languages.

“I want my kids to be proud of our roots and see it as an asset. It’s not only the cultural pride — it’s a life skill, it’s a job skill. When you’re bilingual, there are so many more opportunities.”https://t.co/ylNFSyPjKc

— ACTFL (@actfl) October 19, 2019

How beautiful are bilingual books? pic.twitter.com/idgLDAJgmj

— Thomas Mayor: @tommayor11 (@IndigenousX) June 25, 2020

Diolch / thanks @ClwydTweets . Great to see a proper bilingual menu (arguably trilingual in this case). & blasus iawn – tasty. pic.twitter.com/bbWNBJxY4D

— Craig Allman 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🇪🇺 (@tyhebenw) January 5, 2019

Try using bilingual!

Is bilingual used correctly in the following sentence?

“In some places, the street signs are bilingual since there are two widely spoken languages.”

How to use bilingual in a sentence

For example, children who grew up in a bilingual household may be able to pay attention to and process more of the world around them, allowing them to notice changes in their environment more quickly.
Learning a second language early might have ripple effects throughout your life|Rahul Rao|February 9, 2021|Popular-Science
Netflix, whose first exclusive offering, in 2012, was the bilingual Norwegian import Lilyhammer, is currently available in more than 190 countries.
The Best Result of the Streaming Boom? America Finally Loves Foreign-Language TV|Judy Berman|January 22, 2021|Time
The clerk, who is bilingual, also reads the comments written in Spanish.
Chula Vista Police Chief Says She Didn’t Know Department Shared Data With Feds|Gustavo Solis|January 20, 2021|Voice of San Diego
La Prensa, a bilingual newspaper, reported last month on the Urban Area Working Group’s existence, estimating that it had divvied up hundreds of millions of dollars since its formation in 2008.
Council Unknowingly OK’d Surveillance Gear for Secretive Police Group|Jesse Marx|January 13, 2021|Voice of San Diego

We are bilingual, so there aren’t any language barriers to learning or curiosity.
Meet Four Craft Chocolate Makers Decolonizing the Industry|Jinji Fraser|October 22, 2020|Eater
The scenes in Tokyo were filmed with the help of a bilingual Japanese crew.
She Thought ‘Fargo’ Was Real: The Misguided Voyage of ‘Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter’|Nico Hines|February 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She could hardly speak English, but she made up bilingual jokes.
Mel Brooks Is Always Funny and Often Wise in This 1975 Playboy Interview|Alex Belth|February 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Almost to a person, the French who are bilingual credit English-language television with their success.
Why Can’t France Learn English?|David Sessions|March 9, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Access to new information—literary or political—is one advantage of becoming functionally bilingual, but it is not the main one.
Why I’ve Learned Many Languages by Aravind Adiga|Aravind Adiga|February 19, 2012|DAILY BEAST
And this is the best reason for a writer to become bilingual: to discover what English can do that no other language on earth can.
Why I’ve Learned Many Languages by Aravind Adiga|Aravind Adiga|February 19, 2012|DAILY BEAST
In the bilingual legend of the Creation, Nippur seems to be regarded as a very old city.
Sumerian Hymns|Frederick Augustus Vanderburgh
The invasion of Bohemian workmen has virtually rendered bilingual every such Germanized district where industrialism flourishes.
Bohemia under Hapsburg Misrule|Various
One of the first acts of the new count was to secure Artois, thus reconstituting the bilingual Flanders of the previous century.
Belgium|Emile Cammaerts
Greek was the language of the government and of trade, and in a measure the Jews were a bilingual people.
The Life of Jesus of Nazareth|Rush Rhees
It may be assumed that, at the end of the eleventh century, the majority of the aristocracy was bilingual.
Belgium|Emile Cammaerts

British Dictionary definitions for bilingual

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