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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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e

e

B e 
  pron he, she, it
  vi be in a spasm of pain
  vi lay or place a line on the ground to be used as a pattern in cutting or fitting a sail
  int exclamation of disapproval
O e 
  pron it, he, she
  plural a.
  pref to a number of compound words meaning to raise, to lift, to heave
  see emangoa, euta, ewe...
O e 
  intj of disapproval. conclusion of dance songs and of certain cries or yells
O e 
  n accent, tone, air, melody, pronunciation.
  ex te e ni meang: a northern accent
  ex te e ni maiaki: a southern accent
  ex e bure ana e: he has a bad pronunciation, his tone is false
  ex te e ni nimamanei: a slow, sweet air
  ex te e ni maraki: lamentation or plaintive air
  ex te e n tang: a sad air.
  vt ea, kea, kekeia: to lengthen the note, the air, the sound or accent in dance songs (e...e...e...e...e...)
  vc kaea: to intensify the sound, etc.
  see erake, e-buaka, e-raoi
O e 
  n pattern, model, copy, design (for sail or clothes).
  vt ea, ena (te ie, te kunikai); to take the measure for cutting out sail or clothes.
  vt taona en te ie: to peg out and put string around plan for cutting out a sail (lit.), lay out plan of sail
O e 
  n te kanoa n e, kanoan te e: enlarging of sail corresponding to yard arm top and bottom (the plan on ground should show a curve)

ea

B éa 
  int exclamation of surprise
  vt measure and fit a sail
  n million
B 'éa 
  n hare (ENG)
O ea 
  int Ha! (short cry of surprise)
  syn eang!
O ea1 
  vt to take the measure for cutting out a sail or clothes.
  see e
O ea2 
  vt ea, eia: to give the note or tone of a dance song before starting.
  see ake-e-e-ia!
O ea3 
  n air, atmosphere (ENG)

ean

B ean/ 
  int exclamation of surprise

eba

B éb'a 
  a high, as the eaves of a house
B éba 
  a chronic as a sickness
  n pan leaf case containing the feathers of the eitei to be used in the game of kabane
  n small case for fish-hooks
  n ephah [dry measure] (HEB)
O eba 
  n a box for small objects, trinket box (formerly) packet, parcel, things parcelled together.
  vt ebana: to pack up, to wrap up into parcels
O eba1 
  va eb'aeb'a, eb'anako: to raise up, spread out or outstretched in curve form, protracting, spreading, stretching out.
  vc ka-eb'a, kaeb'a nako: to curve, to bend slightly, to make a nice curve on a kabane line or a kite.
  vc ka-eb'a, ka-eb'a raoi, ka-eb'a nako: idem.
  ex e eba nako te ora: the beach at low tide extends a long distance
  ex (e tangi baba) e eba nako te rongorongo: the news has spread everywhere
  ex e tangi baba nako te rongorongo: idem.
  ex e eba te aoraki: the sickness is chronic
  ex eba, ebaeba, ebanako:
  va to get up ... stand up promptly.
  n early riser, working diligently (by order)

ebaeba

B ebáeba 
  n raft, float
  vi rafting
B eb'áeb'a 
  n horizontal stick at the eaves of a house which support the thatch
O ebaeba 
  n the lowest horizontal lattice of a native roof, joining the ends of the ba ni kakari and supporting the thatch
  see eba
O ebaeba1 
  n a raft, barge.
  v to make or use a ...

ebana

O ebana 
  vt to put in packets, to pack

ebanako

B éb'anako 
  a prompt, ready, or quick to do, cheerfully obedient
  a very wide, as a verandah

ebaotere

B ebáotere 
  n apostle (ENG)

ebatobi

B ebátobi 
  n apostrophe (ENG)

ebe

B ébe 
  n ape (ENG)

ebera

B 'ébera 
  n Hebrew (HEB)

eberi

B éberi 
  n April (ENG)
O Eberi 
  n April (ENG)

ebiebi

O ebiebi 
  n a state of abundance, of liberty, of independence, the sole heir, master.
  vc kaebiebia: to make ... to esteem as ...

ebikobo

O ebikobo 
  n bishop (GR)
  ex te oko n ebikobo: a crozier
  ex te bara n ebikobo: a mitre

ebone

B ébone 
  n ebony (ENG)

ebota

B ébota 
  n ephod [priest's vestment] (ENG)

ebu

O ebu 
  na a state of discouragement.
  vc kaebu, kaebua: to discourage

ebuaka

O ebuaka 
  n a bad accent, wrong tone.
  v to have a bad accent.
  a badly cut or measured (sail, clothes)

ebuebu

O ebuebu 
  suf showing intensity of colours
  sup taka-ebuebu: brilliant, dazzling, bright
  ex te ebuebu ni mamira

ei

B eéi 
  int satisfaction or pleasure when one is praised, like oi
B éi 
  vi bend over as a tree
O ei 
  int showing a sudden pleasure or a pleasant surprise
O ei1 
  n te moan ei, te kaua ei, te katen ei: a first marriage, a second marriage, etc.
O ei2 
  v to lean, to incline.
  n ein te ... the inclination, direction, straight of
  ex ein te kunnikai, te kie: grain of cloth or strands.
  fig a leaning or inclining towards
  ex ein te nano: inclination of the heart.
  v ei-rake, eirio, ei nako: to lean towards the east, the west, to lean much.
  vt eirakea, eirioa, einakoa ...
  vc ka-eia ...
  vc kaeinrakea, ka-einrioa, ka-einnakoa: to make lean or incline towards east ... west ... away from

eiei

B éiei 
  vi frequentative of ei sway to and fro
O eiei 
  v to sway, lean from one side to the other.
  n eiein te ... ka-eiein te ... the swaying of ...
  vc ka-eieia, kaka-eieia: to cause to sway from side to side (the top of a tree or a long rod).
  see maeiei

einaberuberu

O einaberuberu 
  a afraid, cowardly

einako

B éinako 
  vi slant as a tree, fall as a slanting tree
O einako 
  v to lean very much ...
  n einakon ... a considerable incline.
  vt einakoa

einakoa

B éinákoa 
  vt fall or come upon as a tree on a house

eiriki

B éiriki 
  n man's sister-in-law, woman's brother-in-law
  vi have intercourse with a wife's sister
O eiriki 
  n a man's sister-in-law or a woman's brother-in-law. The sisters and cousins of a man's wife are his eiriki. The brothers and cousins of her husband are a woman's eiriki.
  vt eirikia: to seduce.
  vt eirikina: to have for brother or sister-in-law, to sin with... or seduce...
  vt to have ... to adopt as ...

eirikia

B eiríkia 
  vt seduce a wife's sister

eitei

B éitei 
  n bird
B eitéi 
  va performing finely in the ruoia [chanting]
O eitei 
  n frigate bird
  ex species -- te ubaitoi, te bairaku, ten naru, or naru, te uba-itoi (young of ...)
  ex te bai raku: frigate bird with long wings
  ex Ten Naru ... a rare species, fictitious.
  fig te eitei (N.) te ubaitoi (S.) impostor, a parasite, living at another's expense as a frigate bird seizes fish caught by other birds.
  v to imitate the gliding of eitei when dancing -- arms extended but supple -- very elegant dancing, special to some families in the north, originated in Marakei
  ex e eitei, te bai n eitei.
  n a small spotted ray found in lagoon.
  syn kibakiba
G eitei 
  sn Fregata ariel ariel
  n lesser frigate bird (aa)
G eitei1 
  sn Gregata minor palmerstoni
  n Greater frigate bird, Pacific frigate bird (aa) (The adult male is dark brown to black all over, with a bluish grey bill and black, brown or pink feet. It is the darkest bird of either species and is thus easily identified. The female has a dark brown or blackish head, neck and upperparts and abdomen, but the throat and breast are white. Immatures have white or rusty colored heads and patches of white on the breast and abdomen; by the shape of these patches it is possible to tell whether the bird is a male or female.)

eka

B éka 
  vt oppose, resist, go against
  a convalescent
  n acre (ENG)
O eka 
  n acre (ENG)
O eka1 
  v to recover, to get better, to be convalescent.
  n te eka, ekan, ekanakon ... recovery, convalescence.
  vc ka-eka: to help to recover or get better.
  vt ka-eka matana: to raise eyes.
  vc ka-ekanakoa: to prolong a convalescence ... to complete convalescence
O eka2 
  vt ekaeka, ekanakoa: to overthrow, to throw down, to jostle.
  fig to reject, to push back, to refute, to take no notice of <ignore>

ekara

B ekára 
  vt begin a speech or song
O ekara 
  from eka
  vt fig. to contradict, to be opposed to, to reject ...
  ex e ekarai: he rejected me, opposed my ideas
  ex ekara te kuna: to begin a song, a speech

ekaretia

B ekarétia 
  n church (GR)
O Ekaretia 
  n the Church
  ex kain te Ekaretia: members of the Church
  ex an te Ekaretia: foundation of ...

eke

B éke 
  n coconut of later stage than takataka
  a famous, well known, distinguished
O eke 
  n an old coconut.
  n a crisp cake of pandanus fruit.
  a crisp, crackling, dry, crusty.
  vc ka-ekea: to make crisp, to dry over coals, to dry up
O eke1 
  from kea and keaki
  a famous, renowned, celebrated, illustrious
  ex ba ekeke: of good stock, an illustrious family
  ex te ka-eke: an incantation in order to become famous.
  vc ka-ekea: to make ..., to exalt, to extol, to praise
O eke2 
  v ekeke. to break (with resounding noise), the action of ...
  n te kai n ekeke: a crowbar, a pick, etc.

ekea

B ékea 
  vt drill or dig out a hole in a rock
O ekea 
  vt ekekea: to excavate by breaking through stone or rock.
  vc ka ekenakoa: to blow up the rock.
  v ekeanako, kaekeanako.
  ex N na ekea tabanoum: I'll break your skull

ekeke

B ekeéke 
  vi drilling or digging out a hole in a rock

ekira

B ékira 
  n edge or border of a mat
  vt finish off the edge of a mat
O ekira 
  from eke
  vt to bend a dry or crisp thing, to roll up pandanus leaves, to weave the edge of a mat.
  n the finishing off of a mat, the border of a mat

eko

O eko 
  n a pilgrim's staff, a walking stick.
  vt ekoa (okoai, okoiko, okoia): to walk with a stick.
  vt ekona, okona: to have or use a stick for walking
  syn to oko (euph.)

em

B em 
  n coral stone used in rasping
O em 
  n a coral stone, porous, soft and light.
  n species of sea urchin with sharp spikes (dangerous).
  syn katuiaia (N.)

emangaoa

O emangaoa 
  vt to dislocate, to upset, to scatter, to break up the soil
  from e lift up and mangao in disorder.

embaea

O Embaea 
  n empire (ENG)
  ex bongin te embaea: Empire Day

embaia

B embaia 
  n empire (ENG)
  bk Geog p 20

embera

O embera 
  n emperor (ENG)

emberoa

B émberoa 
  n emperor (ENG)

emeraori

B émeraori 
  n emerods [hemorrhoids] (ENG)

ena

O ena 
  vt to give the note, to impose one's ideas or manner, to conduct, to lead, to guide
  syn arona
  from e
O ena1 
  vt to be conformed to model, to copy, to cut to pattern
  syn ea

enarinai

O enarinai 
  v to move rapidly like ...

enatinai

B énatinai 
  vi go toward or onto the shore, as fish when frightened
O enatinai 
  a move rapidly like ..., rapid as ... (canoe)

ene

B éne 
  n very young coconut tree
  a being in the ene stage, as a coconut tree
O ene 
  n a very young coconut tree, the leaves not yet split.
  a ene, enaene: abundance of ...

enene

B eneene 
  a abounding in very young coconut trees

eng

B eng 
  adv yes
O eng 
  adv yes.
  ex tao eng! perhaps so.
  syn bare! bareng! barengaia! (S.)
  syn that's so. (ba are ngaia).
  v engeng, ka engeng: to approve in word only, to say yes and do nothing, lazy, idle.
  vc ka-enga: to say yes, to approve, to admit

enga

B énga 
  n coral on the flats, that emits much odor
O enga 
  n stone or coral rock giving out a bad smell found on some beaches
  sn Spongiaire
  a engaenga: covered with enga
  ex tabuenga raised up with ...
  from tabuki
O enga1 
  int enga? engara? where is it?
L enga 
  sn Acropora & Pocillopora (Coelenterates)
  n branched bush type coral

engaenga

B engáenga 
  a covered over with much enga

engiran

O Engiran 
  n England (ENG)

enna

B 'En/na 
  n henna [shrub,dye] (ENG)

ennano

O e-n-nano 
  n enanoa a movement of anger.
  v to show, to express anger towards ...

era

B éra 
  a stripped of coconuts
  a deserted as a flat by fish
O era 
  a stripped, laid bare, without fruit, devoid of plants ... fish.
  vc ka-era: to strip, to lay bare

erake

B érake 
  vi run up onto the beach as a canoe or boat
  vi be quick tempered
O erake 
  v to go up, upwards.
  fig quick tempered.
  vc kaerakea te wa: to beach a canoe
O erake1 
  v to fly into a passion, to flare up, to be irritated, quick tempered, susceptible
  ex kakai-erake: quick-tempered, go off like a packet of crackers.
  n te erake: irascibility.
  vc ka-erakea: to irritate, to rouse

eraoi

O eraoi 
  a having a good accent, good style, well cut, well made

ere

O ere 
  v to lop branches, to trim, to prune, to cut.
  n te erere: the act of ..., cutting, lopping (branches, leaves, stems)

erea

B érea 
  vt slash
O erea 
  vt erea, ererea: to lop, to cut, to trim.
  vc ka-erere: cause to do lopping
  vc ka-ererea: to have cut or lopped, etc.
  see eremao, erebaba

erebaba

O erebaba 
  v to cut a path through jungle.
  n a magic formula, a victory banquet.
  ex e erebaba te ang: the wind destroys all before it, it opens a passage by destruction

erebanti

B érebanti 
  n elephant (ENG)
O erebanti 
  n elephant (ENG)

eremao

O eremao 
  v to cut down mao trees (a useless shrub, salt bush), to clear land of this noxious plant.
  ex e eremao namakaina: the moon is at its second last day (it can be seen just above or through the mao trees at 6 p.m.).
  n a banquet given by the relations of a woman who is to give birth shortly

erene

B 'érene 
  a Grecian (GR)
O Erene 
  na Greek language, Greece (GR)

erere

B ereére 
  vi slashing

ererea

B erérea 
  vt frequentative of erea

eri

O eri 
  n a deep-water fish, long, slender and having four hooked fins.
  syn tauri (S.)
  sn Promichlys-prometheuss
O eri1 
  v erieri: to capture with a landing net (fish, birds, butterflies, insects, fowls, etc.).
  vt erieria: to catch with ...
  see tiera
G eri 
  sn Promichthys prometheus (ll)
L eri 
  sn Promethichthys prometheus (gempylidae)
  n snake mackeral, oil fish

eria

B éria 
  vt scoop, take up with a spoon or scoop
  n spoon, scoop
O eria 
  n an ancient spoon, made from jaw-bone of fish or of wood, kind of scoop, ladle.
  vt eria, erieria: to eat or take with ...
  vc ka ...

erieri

B érieri 
  vi scooping up as fish
  n young ikaraoi
O erieri 
  n a young taro of ikaraoi species

erieria

B ériéria 
  vt frequentative of eria

ering

B 'Éring 
  n herring (ENG)
O ering 
  n herring <fish> (ENG)

eriti

B 'eériti 
  n Hades (ENG)

eta

B éta 
  adv up, on high, above
  n shore or land as contrasted with the lagoon
  n heaven
O eta 
  n the top, the upper, the heavens (as opposed to the earth), the shore as opposed to the sea, the land.
  a high; etaeta: very high.
  adv i eta: above, ashore, over
  ex nako eta: upwards
  ex mai eta: from above, from the top.
  ex i eta i eta: far up.
  see ri-eta, rietata

ete

O ete 
  n ornament, decoration.
  v to decorate

etete

B etéte 
  vi trimming with a fringe as a house or dress
  n trimming, decoration

etetena

B etétena 
  vt trim with fringe, decorate

eti

B éti 
  a straight, not crooked, correct
  a erect
  n straightness,correctness, erectness
O eti 
  n rectitude, justice, justness.
  fig equity, justice, straightness, righteousness.
  a straight, exact, just, equitable, righteous, sensible, judicious, reasonable
  ex kaieti, kakaieti: easily rectified, easily straightened
  ex eti rake, eti rio: straight east, straight west
  ex eti nako: all straight
  ex etiruru: very straight.
  vt etirakea: to guide straight towards the sky
  syn kaetarakea
  ex e etirakea karawa: it went straight towards the heavens.
  vc kaeti: to straighten, to right, to rectify, to correct, to interpret, to put in order, to ask permission.
  n te tia kaetieti: one who corrects, puts in order, dispenses justice, judges.
  n te tia kakaeti: one who puts in order, intercedes, asks permission.te tia kaeti taeka: an interpreter.
  n te bong ni kaeti: the day of judgment -- last day.
  n te kaeti: rectification, asking permission, putting in order, a notice, a warning.
  vc kaeta, kaetieta, kakaeta, kakaetieta: to straighten, to rectify, to correct, to put in order, to guide towards ... to put in line or in order, to reconcile with ...

etieti

B étiéti 
  a easily straightened out as a poor fish-hook

etinimeang

O Etinimeang 
  n a star

etirake

O etirake 
  a straight up, going straight up ... east, landwards

etirakea

O etirakea 
  vt to place upwards.
  vc kaetirakea: to stand, to place straight upwards

etirio

O etirio 
  a to be, to go, to tend downwards, westwards..., seawards

etiruru

B étirúru 
  a very straight
O etiruru 
  sup superlative of eti
  a very straight, stretched straight at one stroke.
  vc kaetirurua: to make ..., to cause ..., to stretch

eu

O eu 
  v eu, eueu, to lift up.
  see euta

eua

O Eva 
  n Eve (ENG)

euangkerio

B euangkério 
  n gospel (GR)
O Evangkerio 
  or Evangerio. Gospel

eubaka

O eubaka 
  v to stumble, to falter, to trip, to slip, to make a faux pas

eueuta

B euéuta 
  vt frequentative of euta

euman

O euman 
  v to throw up the feather in the game called kabane.
  n te tia eueu, te tia euman: the player whose role is to do this

europe

O Europe 
  n Europe (ENG)

euta

B éuta 
  vt toss up as in kabane
  vt lift the foot as in walking
  n step, pace
B euúta 
  a much
O euta 
  vt eueuta: to raise or lift gradually; raising, throwing up, taking out in small quantities
  ex euta waem, euta roroana: lift a foot, crane the neck
  ex e euta karawa Riki: Riki raised the firmament
  ex te eutana, ua-euta, etc.
  ex euta ni wae: a step, a pace.
  na te eueutaki: gallivanting, vagabondage.
  vc ka-euta: to cause someone to get up, to dislodge, to move.
  vct eueuta, kakaeutaka: to strut, to stalk proudly, to show off, to put oneself forward.
  n te euta ni maneka: the length of a foot (measure), pace.
  vt euta ni maneka: measure by foot (putting one foot in front of the other)

eutaniwae

B éutániwae 
  vi walk

ewa

B éwa 
  n crack in a board
  vi spear
  va cracked as a board
  va about to become an ibonga priest or sorceror
B eéwa 
  a very many, very great
  a impatient
O ewa