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A Combined

Kiribati-English Dictionary

based on the works of

Hiram Bingham, D.D.
and
Father Ernest Sabatier, M.S.C.
(translated by Sr. M. Oliva)

with additional scientific material from Luomala, Goo & Banner.

B -Bingham, Hiram. 1908, 1953. A Gilbertese-English Dictionary. vii, 179 pp (8vo). American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, Boston.
O -Sabatier, Ernest. 1954. Dictionnaire Gilbertin-Français. xii, 984pp, duplicated. Mission Catholique, GI, Abaiang, Tabwiroa. 1971. Gilbertese-English Dictionary. translated by Sr. M. Oliva. x, 426pp, Sacred Heart Mission, Tarawa. South Pacific Commission Publications Bureau, Sydney.
G -Goo, Fannie C.C. & Albert H. Banner. 1963. A Preliminary Compilation of Gilbertese Animal and Plant Names. 2, 2, 55, 10, 26cm. prepared under contract SA-43-ph-3741, National Institute of Neurological Diseas. UH - Haw. Marine Lab., Honolulu.
L -Luomala, Katharine. 1953. Ethnobotany of the Gilbert Islands. Bishop Museum Bulletin 213, v, 129pp, map, bibl 122-4, index, 26cm. Bernice P. Bishop Museum, Honolulu.

compiled by
Stephen Trussel and Gordon W. Groves,
University of Hawaii, 1978

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b

ba

B ba 
  conj because, for, that, as
B b'a 
  n a continuous hard coral rock or ledge
  n coconut oil, a general term for oil, a coconut shell oil bottle
B ba 
  n the midrib or main stem of the coconut frond, a leaf
  n thunder
  n a skin disease of infants
B b'a 
  vi to belch
B ba 
  adv just now
  ex I a ba roko I arrived just now
O ba 
  conj because, so that, as, for.
  ex I aki nako ba I tabe: I am not going because I am busy
  idiom akea ba...: well, and so...
  ex ao ba?: why?
  ex taua ba kanam: take as your food.
O ba1 
  n te ba: something great, strong, powerful.
O ba2 
  n thunder.
  ex e ruo te ba, e rurunga te ba: the thunderbolt has fallen, the thunder roars.
O ba3 
  n a big crowd.
  syn te runga n aomata
O ba4 
  n rock, reef, crag, iceberg.
  a hard, solid, firm as a rock, fixed.
  ex e ba te wa, e ba te ang: a mass of canoes... clouds.
O ba5 
  intj tai ba! tai babu! don't say anything! don't move!
O ba6 
  n 1. oil.
  ex te ba nikoniko: small coconut shell used formerly as recipient for oil.
  ex te ati ni ba: small bottles for oil.
  n 2. coward.
  a cowardly.
  ex e ba, e bu:
  see inabaia, to make a show of courage and run away.
  n 3. belch.
  v to belch.
  fig n. disgust, aversion, repugnance.
  vc ka ba: which disgusts, causes...
  ex tai taekinna, I ba iai: don't talk about it, it disgusts me
  vc ka ba, kabaea: to make or cause to belch.
  n food which causes belching.
  see ba ni kana
O ba7 
  n leaf, palm, midrib of palm leaf, page of paper, card, leaflet
  ex te bana, ua ba, teni ba, etc.: one, two, three leaves
  ex au ba, am ba, etc.: fig. height, rank, class, excellence
  ex bau, bam, bana, etc.
  ex ko aki rota bau: you are not up to my rank, or worth
  ex te ba n uea: royalty, prince
  ex te moa ni ba: high rank
  ex te mwi ni ba: lowest rank, vile, rejected
  a baba: leafy, branchy, luxuriant
  ex ba ni kai: leaves, leaf of tree
  ex ba n ni: coconut leaf, palm branch <frond -- gwg>
  ex ba kabane: top branch
  ex kakoko : white leaf of coconut not fully developed.
  syn marewe
  ex te kinati: leaf of palm just beginning to appear
  ex te ba ni kiokio: small leaf (of babai, ene)
  ex te ba ni kimaimai: a leaf not yet divided into folioles
  ex te ba raerae: leaf already divided into folioles
  ex e iranibara te ni: a young coconut tree with leaves already straight, long and well developed
  v rae ba: strip palm of its folioles
  ex te ba: cut off (with knife) the outside edges of midrib of palm leaf to make it even and utilizable
  ex tae ba: tie the midribs of a leaf on; for ex. lattice
  n te ba ni boki, te iteraniba: leaf, page
  ex te ba ni kati: playing cards, a pack of...
O ba8 
  n a sickness (symptoms, violent diarrhoea)
  ex te ba bubura: same sickness only stronger
  ex te ba uraura: a sickness, red patches, inflammation of vein, phlebitis
  ex te babobo: a sickness, yellow jaundice.
O ba9 
  a tasteless, repugnant, repulsive.
  vc ka ba: giving...
O ba10 
  n ba akuaku moral support, help, helpful person.
  vt baakuakua: to succour, to relieve.

ba n iku

O ba n iku 
  n hard, dry skin.
  a tanned, tawny, bronzed.
  fig avaricious, avarice.

ba n ruruo

O ba n ruruo 
  n a kind of rod baited and moved in water to attract bonito.
  syn kai n ruruo, kaewewe:

ba n uri

O ba n uri 
  n leaves of uri.
  fig land or object acquired by adoption, inherited by an adopted ...

ba ni babai

O ba ni babai 
  n 1. taro leaves.
  n 2. membrane around the intestines.
  n 3. green fat found in turtle.

ba ni kaina

O ba ni kaina 
  n pandanus leaves.

ba ni kamaimai

O ba ni kamaimai 
  n perfumed oil.

ba ni kana

O ba ni kana 
  n gizzard, crop, oesophagus, gullet.
  v to have dry throat, have little to eat, be in want, belch in swallowing, choke from eating quickly.
  vc ka banikana: to make belch, to upset (heavy, indigestible).

ba ni kanawa

O ba ni kanawa 
  n paleness.
  a pale like leaves of kanawa, sickly.

ba ni koko

O ba ni koko 
  and bakoko.
  n one who possesses but will not share, rich but mean.

ba ni kua

O ba ni kua 
  n cod liver oil.

ba niko

O ba niko 
  n beautiful leaf of tree.

ba raerae

O ba raerae 
  n coconut tree with leaf just beginning to foliate.

ba rairai

O ba rairai 
  n a way of fishing consisting of encircling a rock or heap of stones with a net.
  from ba and rai or from ba rairaki.

ba rerei

O ba rerei 
  n a healthy leaf.

ba rongorongo

O ba rongorongo 
  n famine oil, old oil.

ba roro

O ba roro 
  n dark green flourishing leaves.
  syn ba maiu

baamai

L baamai 
  sn Pomacentridae
  n damselfish (gen)
  sn Abudefduf septemfasciatus
  sn A. sordidus
  sn Chromis caeruleus (bamaii)
  sn Dascyllus trimaculatus

baara

L baara 
  ew pala
  sn Acanthocybium solanderi (scombridae)
  n mackeral, tuna

baba

B bæ/ba 
  a foolish, destitute of reason, wanting in umderstanding, weak in intellect
  n a fool, a dunce, an idiot
B b'aáb'aa 
  n the breast, the bosom
B baába 
  va abounding in leaves
B b'áb'a 
  vi to drown, to be drowned
O baba 
  n lancet fish.
O baba1 
  n imbecility, silliness, foolishness, imbecile, fool, simpleton.
  a foolish, silly, cracked, crazy, stupid.
  vc kababa: to make... treat as... to flatter, to toady.
  ex ko kababai: you take me for a fool
  ex babaea: love, dote on, idolize
  n te kababa: flattery of vain persons.
O baba2 
  n rope of lower sail yard, tack line.
  ex aita te baba: pull the line or haul in close to the wind
  ex kaki te baba: slacken the rope.
O baba3 
  n a board, plank, used for divers purposes; for ex. a wash board, surf board, etc.
  ex te baba ni borau: a draught board
  ex te baba n raranga: a board to weave on
  ex baba ni wati: wash board.
O baba4 
  vt 1. babai, babaiko, etc. to make mad, to bewitch, to cast a spell on.
  vt 2. to love to distraction, to give in to all the whims of...
  syn kinrangin
O baba5 
  n board, committee. (HAW)
  ex te baba n aine: an association of women, women's club.
O baba6 
  n papa (father). (ENG)
O baba7 
  v to drown, to be drowning.
  vt to drown.
  va tibaba: to lose foot and be drowning.
O baba8 
  n chest, lower part of thorax or breast.
  a kaubaba: large chested
  ex baba n ura: a bulging chest (like a lobster).
  n ubaba: brace, breast drill.
  vt u-babaea: to pierce with...
  syn ubaniban, ubanibania
O baba9 
  n te babana, ua baba: one basket, two baskets, etc.
  n coarse basket made of coconut leaves.
  ex te kanoa ni baba: the youngest, last child of family, youngest pig in litter (an insulting term).
O baba10 
  a leafy, branchy, thick set (foliage).
O baba11 
  n native brace (used formerly).
  vt babaea: to pierce with this instrument.
G baba 
  sn Acanthurus guttatus (ll)
  n lancetfish (sm)
G baba1 
  sn Ctenochaetus sp. (ll)
  n lancetfish (sm)
L baba 
  sn Acanthurus guttatus
  sn Ctenochaetus
  n surgeonfish, unicornfish
L baba 
  sn Ranzania laevis (milidae)
  n molas

baba n aine

O baba n aine 
  n a passion for women, females.
  ant baba ni mane: passion for men, males.

baba na aine

O baba na aine 
  n women's club, association. (HAW)

babababa

O babababa 
  n sound of escaping air or water.
  vc ka babababa: go pff... pff... like bursting balloon.

babaea

B babáea 
  vt to bore with a ubaniban

babaeao

B b'ab'áeao 
  n abounding in babaeao

babaebaeta

B b'ab'aeb'áeta 
  vt frequentative of baebaeta

babaeina

L babaeina 
  sn Lutjanus monostigmus
  n snapper

babaenikai

B babáenikái 
  va frequentative of baenikai

babai

B baabaái 
  vi to approach cautiously for the purpose of stealing
B b'ábai 
  n name of a plant having an edible bulbous root, resembling taro
  sn Arum cordifolium
O babai 
  v to go... treat gently (with precaution).
  adv cautiously, silently.
  vt babaea, babaia: idem
  ex babaia n anaia: take it gently, with care.
O babai1 
  v a large tubercle, species of taro
  sn Arum cordifolium
  ex kinds -- aning, ikaraoi, kaiura, kabe, atimainiku, atouman, boang, bukimakana, rikiantebaba, tutu, katutu, taororo
  ex plants -- baku, kabwebwe, ninganingan
  ex leaves -- ba ni babai, barobaro, barobaroba
  see ati ni katoka, butababa, ngan, bwerewa, etc.
O babai2 
  n yolk of egg, cooked
  note white is called te marai.
G b'ábai 
  sn Arum cordifolium
  n name of a plant having an edible bulbous root, resembling the taro (k)

babai n anti

O babai n anti 
  syn bubu
  n box, drawer, trunk of pandanus hollowed out and used as a chest for butu (war weapon).

babai wae

O babai wae 
  v to go or walk stealthily.
  vt babaiwaea.

babaia

O babaia 
  n papaw, fruit of... <papaya>. (ENG)
  syn mwemweara: mummy apple.

babaibai

B b'ab'áib'ai 
  va receiving recompense for what one does

babaibainanti

B b'ab'áib'ainæn/ti 
  a frequentative of b'aib'ainanti: deformed

babaibao

B babáib'ao 
  vi frequentative of baib'ao: to miss the mark

babaibati

B babáibati 
  a frequentative of baibati: much, strong as the wind

babaibuaka

B babáibuaka 
  a frequentative of baibuaka: very bad

babaikabubu

B babáikabubu 
  a frequentative of baikabubu: awkward in throwing or spearing

babaikimoa

B babáikimoa 
  a frequentative of baikimoa: thievish

babaikoraki

B b'ab'áikoraki 
  a frequentative of b'aikoraki: rich, encumbered with much luggage

babaiku

B babáiku 
  a frequentative of baiku: unduly wide

babaikuikui

B babáikúikui 
  va frequentative of baikuikui: hesitating to shoot or throw

babaimangori

B babáimangóri 
  v frequentative of baimangori: slow in doing or making

babaimano

B babaimæ/no 
  a frequentative of baimano: skilled in fitting canoe planks

babainataeia

B b'ab'áinatáeia 
  vt frequentative of b'ainataeia: to practice incantations over a child

babainikirina

B b'ab'áinikirína 
  vt frequentative of b'ainikirina: to persecute, abuse

babainrangirangia

B b'ab'áinrængirEael 
  vt frequentative of b'ainrangirangia: to perform incantations upon

babainraraea

B b'ab'áinraráea 
  vt frequentative of b'ainraraea: to blackguard

babairababa

B babáiraábaba 
  vi frequentative of baira:baba: to claim land as one's own unjustly

babairaraoi

B b'ab'áiraráoi 
  a frequentative of b'airaraoi: impartial in the distribution of food

babairawerawe

B babáiræ/weræ 
  a frequentative of bairawerawe: wont to carry off theivishly

babaire

B babaáire 
  vi frequentative of baire: to preside

babairea

B babaáirea 
  vt frequentative of bairea: to measure

babairekereke

B babáirékereke 
  a frequentative of bairekereke: skillful in catching

babairemwe

B babáiremwe 
  vi frequentative of bairemwe: to manipulate slowly

babairoko

B babáiroko 
  va frequentative of bairoko: doing quickly

babaitabare

B babáitæ/bare 
  vi frequentative of baitata: to work rapidly

babaitau

B babáitau 
  vi frequentative of baitau: to assume a position for a fight

babaiteke

B babáiteke 
  a frequentative of baiteke: skillful in hitting the mark

babaitoka

B babáitoka 
  va frequentative of baitoka: working rapidly

babaitokatoka

B babáitókatoka 
  va frequentative of baitokatoka

babaitoto

B babáitoto: 
  a frequentative of baitoto: very light, not dense

babaka

B b'ab'áka 
  vi frequentative of b'aka

babakaine

B babakáine 
  vi frequentative of bakaine: to be negligent of a parent's wants
O babakaine 
  v to neglect one's obligations to those in one's charge, leave in want, hungry
  see bakaine
  vt babakainea... to neglect...

babakamoamoa

B babákamóamoa 
  vi frequentative of bakamoamoa: to accuse another of fault

babakanakoa

B bábakanaákoa 
  vt to entertain or treat kindly outwardly, but not at heart

babakanakoi

B bábakanaákoi 
  vi to act kindly at such times that it pays to do so, as a foster child in the presence of its parents

babakanataei

B babákanatáei 
  vi frequentative of bakanataei

babakanateiaine

B babákanateiáine 
  vi frequentative of bakanateiaine

babakanatua

B babákanátua 
  vi frequentative of bakanatua

babakanikawai

B babákanikáwai 
  a extortionate, rascally, vicious
O babakanikawai 
  n injustice, fraud, cheating
  ex te tia babakanikawai: a cheat.
  a unjust.
  v to defraud, to cheat, etc.
  vt babakanikawaia: to cheat, to defraud, to trick, to sponge on...

babakaniking

B babákaniking/ 
  vi to assume royalty

babakannano

B b'ab'ákannáno 
  vi frequentative of b'akannano

babakanrerei

B babákanreréi 
  vi frequentative of bakanrerei

babakanrorobuaka

B babákanroróbuaka 
  vi frequentative of bakanrorobuaka

babakanroronga

B babákanrorónga 
  vi frequentative of bakanroronga

babakantamaroa

B babákantamároa 
  vi frequentative of bakantamaroa

babakantang

B babákantang/ 
  va frequentative of bakantang

babakantoka

B b'ab'ákantóka 
  vi frequentative of bakantoka

babakaonon

B babakáonon 
  vi frequentative of bakaonon: to be in a very humble or abject way

babakarake

B b'ab'ákarake 
  vi to depart to the east

babakario

B b'ab'ákario 
  vi to depart to the west

babakatae

B babákatae 
  a frequentative of bakatae

babaki

B babáki 
  va frequentative of baki
B babaáki 
  vi to lie or sleep on the ground anywhere
  see raea

babako

B b'ab'áko 
  vi to lie as an infant in the arms or lap of a person
B b'ab'áko 
  n a foster child
O babako 
  from bako: bent, or ko: tight.
  v to carry in arms, on breast, to cuddle, to nurse, to press to bosom.
  n an adopted child.
  vt babakoa: to carry in nurse, to cuddle.

babakoa

B b'ab'ákoa 
  vt to hold, as a child in the arms

babakoinawa

O babakoinawa 
  n lancet fish (large one).
G babakoinawa 
  sn Acanthurus triostegus (ll)
  n big one; lancetfish (ll,sm)
L babakoinawa 
  sn Acanthurus triostegus
  n surgeonfish, unicornfish

babakoran

B babákoran 
  vi to plan to assault
O babakoran 
  n small fry.
  v to fish for...
  syn ni babakouti

babaku

B b'ab'áku 
  n the flower of the uri
O babaku 
  n flower of uri tree
  ex te tokotoko: bud of this flower.

babamaiu

B babamáiu 
  a frequentative of bamaiu: verdant, green, fresh

babana

O babana 
  from baba:
  vt to love passionately, to dote on, to be infatuated with.

babananun

B b'ab'ánanun 
  a churlish
  bk 1 Sam. 25:3

babane

B b'ab'áne 
  a ready, prepared
B babæ/ne 
  a skilled in climbing
B baábane 
  va an intensive of bane completely gone, all gone
O babane 
  a skilful (at climbing especially), skilful in any, every way.
O babane1 
  red of bane
  a worn out, finished, absolutely finished.

babanebane

B babæ/nebæne 
  vi frequentative of banebane

babaneki

O babaneki 
  n large cetacea, whale.

babanga

B babánga 
  vi to be without knowledge, not to know how or about
  vt to know not, to understand not
O babanga 
  n ignorance, inaptitude.
  a ignorant, inapt, unqualified, unskilful, inexpert at...
  vc ka-babanga: treat as ignorant, find...

babangabai

B babángab'ai 
  a frequentative of bangab'ai : unskillful

babangaki

B baabángaki 
  a red and swollen as the bite of a mosquito
O babangaki 
  from bangaki
  a placed across, crosswise, crossing.
  see bangaki
O babangaki1 
  n a large cetacea, a whale.
O babangaki2 
  n marks or traces of blows, or stripes on the skin. <welt ? -- gwg>.

babanganikou

B b'ab'ánganikóu 
  va frequentative of b'anginikou: fast or caught as the hand

babanganimatang

B b'ab'ánganimæ/tang 
  a abounding in caves

babanganrino

B b'ab'ánganríno 
  a frequentative of b'anganrino: wont to do nice and careful work

babanganriro

B b'ab'ánganríro 
  vi frequentative of b'anganriro: to be very particular about

babangantaeka

B b'ab'ángantáeka 
  vi frequentative of b'angantaeka: to murmur,
  vi to complain

babanganun

B b'ab'ánganun 
  va frequentative of b'anganun: quarrelsome, e asily angered

babangaomata

B babangaáomata 
  a frequentative of bangaomata: unkind, ungrateful

babangare

B bábangare 
  vi to joke, to be funny
  see manikangare

babaniman

O Babaniman 
  n Sirius; Babaniman meang: star
  n Babaniman Maiaki: another star.

babanura

B b'ab'anúra 
  a having a full breast over the sternum
O babanura 
  n lobster, chest like a lobster (neve).

babanuri

B babánuri 
  va abounding in the leaves of the uri

babao

B b'ab'áo 
  a crooked
O babao 
  sup superlative of bao.
  a twisted, crooked, deformed, dishonest, false.

babaokoko

B b'ab'áokoko: