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bilingual
[ bahy-ling-gwuhlor, Canadian, -ling-gyoo-uhl ]
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.
bilingual
/ ɪˈɪŋɡə /
adjective
- able to speak two languages, esp with fluency
- written or expressed in two languages
noun
- a bilingual person
Derived Forms
- ˈԲܲˌ, noun
- ˈԲܲ, adverb
Other 51Թ Forms
- ·gܲ· adverb
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of bilingual1
Example Sentences
This country is behind the rest of the world in two fields specifically because we don’t have enough bilingual people: politics and the economy.”
Behind angular shades and a trenchcoat, the multi-instrumentalist — who switched between playing guitar, keyboard and saxophone while singing — performed a bilingual mix of indie dream pop, fused with moments of vintage rock and Chicano soul.
"Wales is bilingual and constituency names should be in both languages."
The daughter of Mexican pianists, bilingual indie darling Vanessa Zamora upped the ante by mastering the acoustic guitar, keyboard and drums to craft her own dreamy, psychedelic approach to pop music.
Californians passed propositions in the 1990s that sought to make life miserable for undocumented immigrants, ended government-sponsored affirmative action and banned bilingual education.
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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?
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.”
— ACTFL (@actfl)
How beautiful are bilingual books?
— Thomas Mayor: @tommayor11 (@IndigenousX)
Diolch / thanks . Great to see a proper bilingual menu (arguably trilingual in this case). & blasus iawn – tasty.
— Craig Allman 🏴🇪🇺 (@tyhebenw)
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.”
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