English Words Starting With B

• bahut

  nounC1-C2 (very low frequency, specialized cultural/linguistic borrowing)
  /bəˈhuː/ (approximation for French borrowing); /bəˈhʊt/ (approximation for South Asian borrowing)In Anglophone contexts, it is a borrowing from French (meaning 'very much'), used humorously or in affectation to mean 'a great deal' or 'lots'.
• bahuvrihi

  nounC2
  /ˌbɑːhʊˈvriːhi/A type of compound word where the meaning refers to something external to the parts of the compound, like 'redhead' (a person with red hair) not the head itself.
• bai

  nounLow (in modern English); the slang use is niche/obscure.
  /baɪ/A term for money (slang, informal); the title of a tribute paid to an overlord in Southeast Asian history.
• baia-mare

  nounLow (Geographical proper noun)
  /ˌbɑːjə ˈmɑːreɪ/A large coastal inlet; a major bay.
• baiae

  nounVery low (archaic, historical/literary)
  /ˈbʌɪiː/ or /ˈbaɪ.iː/A place name: an ancient Roman town on the Bay of Naples, famous as a luxury resort and spa for the Roman elite.
• baigan choka

  nounRare
  /ˌbaɪ.ɡæn ˈtʃəʊ.kə/A Caribbean dish, particularly from Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana, consisting of roasted, mashed eggplant (aubergine) seasoned with garlic, onions, peppers, and other aromatics.
• baigneuse

  nounLow
  /beɪˈnjɜːz/A woman who is bathing.
• baikal

  nounLow
  /baɪˈkɑːl/A massive, ancient freshwater lake in Siberia, Russia, known as the world's deepest and largest by volume.
• baikonur

  nounC2
  /ˌbaɪkəˈnʊə/A major space launch facility located in Kazakhstan, historically used by the Soviet and Russian space programs.
• bail

  nounverbverb-transitiveB1
  /beɪl/The temporary release of a person awaiting trial, secured by a sum of money or a guarantee; or to remove water from a boat.
• bail bond

  nounC1/C2
  /ˈbeɪl ˌbɒnd/A formal, legally binding promise, typically from a bail bond agent, to pay a court the full bail amount if a defendant fails to appear for trial.
• bail bondsman

  nounLow
  /ˈbeɪl ˌbɒn(d)zmən/A person or agent, typically licensed, who provides bail money for a defendant's release from jail in exchange for a non-refundable fee or collateral.
• bail out

  verbB2-C1
  /ˈbeɪl aʊt/To help someone or something, especially financially, from a difficult situation; to remove water from a boat; to jump from an aircraft with a parachute.
• bail up

  verbLow
  /beɪl ʌp/To corner or detain someone, often aggressively, for conversation or robbery.
• baile atha cliath

  nounLow (except in Irish-language contexts, historical discussions, or official bilingual usage)
  /ˌbælə ˌɑːhə ˈkliːə/The official Irish-language name for Dublin, meaning 'Town of the Hurdled Ford' (from the ford of hurdles that existed where the River Poddle met the Liffey).
• bailee

  nounLow (Specialist/Legal)
  /ˌbeɪˈliː/A person or party to whom property is entrusted for a specific purpose, such as storage, repair, or transport, under a bailment.
• bailey

  nounLow
  /ˈbeɪli/The outer wall or courtyard of a castle.
• bailey bridge

  nounLow
  /ˈbeɪli ˌbrɪdʒ/A portable, prefabricated truss bridge designed for rapid military construction.
• bailie

  nounC2
  /ˈbeɪli/A Scottish municipal officer or magistrate, historically equivalent to an English alderman, with civic and judicial responsibilities within a burgh.
• bailiff

  nounC1
  /ˈbeɪlɪf/A court officer responsible for maintaining order, executing legal processes like evictions or property seizures, and sometimes overseeing juries.

Showing 601–620 of 10030 words.