A Combined

Kiribati-English Dictionary

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

k

ka B  ka. intj. an exclamation of emphasis always followed by some statement.  v. the causative prefix.  a. seeing indistinctly.  n. a cart, a carriage, a car (ENG).  O  ka. note. Words with causative "ka" are not repeated except for a few usual words in order to make the meaning clearer for some special reason. All "ka" words are not causative; some very simple words begin with "ka".  pref. causative joined to nouns, verbs, adjectives, participles. meaning:  to make, to do, to cause, to render, to provoke, to urge to, to wait till, to let, to let ripen, to give time to, to permit.  ex. ka-ngaina: to wait till day, to let the day dawn.  karokoa: to let come, to wait for the coming.  katawa: to let ripen, to wait till it is ripe.  ka-makuria: to make work, to set in motion.  ka1. pref. to certain names of fish it gives the meaning of fishing for that fish.  ex. kabakoa: shark fishing.  ka2. note. ka follows the general rule of redoubling of syllables to indicate frequence or intensity of the action.  ex. ka-tanga: to make cry.  kaka-tanga: to make cry often (the first ka is generally long).  ka3. note. ka placed before a numeral adj. cardinal gives the ordinal number (preceded by the article always).  ex. tenua: three.  te katenua: the third.  tebubua: one hundred.  te katebubua: the one-hundredth.it is the same with the inter. num. adj.  iraua?: how many?  te ka-iraua?: what number?  ka4. a. tired, dim (said of eyes after looking too attentively or too long at an object, or from defective sight).  from. kai:  ex. E ka matau: My eyes are dim.  te ka ni mata, kan te mata: dimness of sight.  ae mata ka: who looks comically in order to see.  E ka matau n te ang: I am blinded by wind.  ka5. v. to make yawn.  ka6. n. car, cart, vehicle, chariot, carriage.  ex. moto-ka (motor-car): truck, bus.

kaaba B  kaæ/ba. cau. vt aba.

kaababa B  kaabaába. cau. vt ababa.  O  kaababa. n. a donation of land (gift, legacy, dowry).  v. to give land.

kaababaka B  kaab'aáb'aka. vt. to make great, to enlarge.

kaaeaea B  kaaeáea. vt. to cause to creep or crawl.

kaaeaka B  kaaeáka. vt. to send or carry ashore.

kaaeka O  kaaeka. see v.t. kaeaka.

kaaerakea B  kaáerakéa. vt. to send or carry ashore.  to send or carry ashore.

kaaeto B  kaáeto. cau. n aeto.

kaaibuaka B  kaáibuaka. cau. vi aibuaka.

kaainea B  kaáinea. vt. to let a girl mature to womanhood.

kaainenuma B  kaáinenúmaa. cau. vt ainenuma to care for as a married woman.

kaainga B  kaáinga. cau. vt ainga.

kaaintoa B  kaáintoa. cau. vt aintoa.

kaaiota B  kaaaioóta. cau. vi aiota to wait til early morning dawn.

kaaira B  kaáira. cau. vi aira.

kaairaoa B  kaáiraoa. cau. vt airaoi.

kaairoa B  kaáiroa. cau. vt airo to await evening twilight.

kaaiwaea B  kaaiwaáea. cau. vt aiwae.

kaakawa B  kaakáwa. cau. vt akawa.

kaakea B  kaakéa. cau. vt akea.

kaakoakoa B  kaakóakoa. cau. vt akoako.

kaamakaia B  kaaámakaia. cau. vt amakai to wait for a coconut to become an amakai before plucking it.

kaamakoro O  kaamakoro. n. a fraction <fourth>.

kaamarake B  kaámarake. cau. vi amarake.

kaamarakea B  kaámarakéa. cau. vt amarake.

kaamata B  kaámætaa. cau. vt amata to cook rare or partially.

kaamoamoa B  kaamóamoa. cau. vt amoamo to cause or diract one to carry a burden on an amo.

kaamwia B  kaamwía. vt. to let a coconut tree mature all its fruit.

kaananaua B  kaanánaua. cau. vt ananau.

kaanaua B  kaanáua. cau. vt anau.

kaanea B  kaánea. cau. vt anea to direct one to fish with anea.

kaaneanea B  kaaneánea. cau. vt aneane.

kaaneka B  kaaánekaa. cau. vt a:neka to praise, or speak of one as acting properly.

kaaneke B  kaáneke. cau. vt aneke.

kaang B  káang. n. a variety of seaweed.

kaangabaia B  kaángab'aia. cau. vt angab'ai.

kaangabea B  kaángabea. cau. vt angabe.

kaangara B  kaángara. cau. a angara.

kaangia B  kaángia. cau. vt angi.

kaangibue B  kaángibue. cau. vi angibue.

kaangibuea B  kaángibuéa. cau. vt angibue.

kaangitaban B  kaang/itaban. cau. vi angitaban.

kaangitanaboaboa B  kaángitanabóaboa. cau. vt angitanaboabo.

kaangitanenea B  kaángitæ/nenea. cau. vy angitanene.

kaaninga B  kaáninga. cau. vt aninga.

kaanoai O  ka-anoai. nv. a certain way of fishing with coconut.

kaanoaia B  kaanoáia. cau. vt anoai to make a calm streak or surface on water as with oil.

kaanoanoa B  kaanóanoa. cau. vt anoano to direct one to beckon to another.

kaantia B  kaæn/tia. cau. vt anti.

kaaoaoa B  kaaoáoa. cau. vt aoao to cause one to propel a canoe with a pole.

kaaobuaka B  kaáobuakaa. cau. vt aobuaka.

kaaoka B  kaáoka. cau. vt aoka.

kaaomakuna B  kaaomákuna. cau. vt aomakuna.

kaaomata B  kaáomata. cau. vt aomata.

kaaong B  kaáong. vi. to fish for aong.

kaaongia B  kaaóngia. cau. vt aongia.

kaaoraba B  kaáorab'a. cau. vt aorab'a.

kaaoraia O  kaaoraia. vt. kakaaoraia: to prepare, to put outside (ao: outside) things one is taking away.

kaaoraka B  kaáoraka. cau. vt aoraki to make one sick, to make sickly a land.

kaaoraki B  kaáoraki. va. causing sickness, unhealthy.

kaaoraoa B  kaaoráoa. cau. vt aoraoi.

kaara B  kaaáraa. cau. vt a:ta: to make broad as a mat.

kaararake B  kaárarake. cau. vi ararake.

kaararakea B  kaárarakéa. cau. vt ararakea.

kaarikia B  kaárikia. cau. vt ariki.

kaarobairia B  kaarobáiria. cau. vt arobairi.

kaarokuikui B  kaarokúikui. cau. vi arokuikui.

kaarokuikuia B  kaarokúikuia. cau. vt arokuikui.

kaataeia B  kaatáeia. cau. vt ataei.

kaataibai B  kaatáib'ai. cau. vi ataib'ai.

kaataibaia B  kaatáib'aia. cau. vt ataib'ai.

kaatama B  kaátamaa. cau. vt atama:.

kaatatai B  kaátatai. cau. vi atatai.

kaatataia B  kaátataia. cau. vi atatai.

kaatataiaomata B  kaatátaiáomataa. cau. vt atataiaomata.

kaaua B  kaáua. a. fourth.

kaauau B  kaaáuau. n. kabubu mixed with scraped coconut.  O  kaauau. n. a dish of kabubu and grated coconut.

kaaubeabea B  kaaubéabeaa. cau. vt aubeabea.

kaautakia O  kaautakia. vt. kakaautakia.  from. au to try to pass for important, to act haughtily <haughty> by making others wait.

kaawarurua B  kaawárurua. cau. vt awaruru.

> kaawawa> B  kaawáwa>. cau. vt awawa.

kaba B  kába. n. copper (ENG).  kába. vi. to build or construct, as a canoe or a ship.  n. canoe or ship building.  O  kaba. n. copper, brass, zinc (ENG).  kaba1. v. to keep silent.  n. te i-kaba: game of blind man's bluff.  kaba2. a. which causes heartburn, belching (heavy food).  vc. kabaea: to make belch.  kaba3. note. the final a very brief.  n. string (very fine and strong) used in the building of canoes.  kaba4. n. work or construction done with kaba (string).  na. te kaba uoua, te kaba ten, etc.  kaba double, triple, etc.  vt. kaba, kaba te wa, kaba te kaibuke: to build a canoe, a ship. lit. to tie, to tie together.  n. te tia kaba: canoe builder, constructor.  ex. te tia kaba te kau ni wae: the shoe maker.  te kabanimtao: a special way of making canoes.

kabaau L  kabaau. sn. Cypraea (Gastropod).  n. snail.

kababa B  kábaba. n. flattery.  vi. to engage in flattering.  kábabaa. vt. to flatter.  O  kababa. n. rope fixed to top yard-arm of sail as support.  kababa. n. fishing for flying fish at night without torches.  kababa1. vt. to flatter.  n. flattery.  vc. kababa: to flatter to folly.

kababaka B  kab'aáb'akaa. vt. frequentative of kab'aka.

kababane B  kabaábæne. n. the entire doing of, the embracing all.

kababanea B  kabaábænea. vt. to include all, to make all to, to complete.

kababanga B  kábabanga. vi. to cause want of knowledge.

kababatei B  kababaátei. vi. to incline, to cant.

kababateia B  kababaáteia. vt. to place as the head downward.

kabae B  kábae. vi. to engage in tying, binding, or lashing.  n. a waist-mat, cord prepared for lashing.  O  kabae. n. te kabae, te kabaebae: bandages, strings, belts of all kinds.  kabae1. n. special mat for dancers going from armpits to knees, tied at the waist with a rope of women's hair, mat lavalava.  kabae2. n. engagement, knot.  vt. kabaea, kabaebaea: to tie, to bind, to tie up with string, to tie up, to become engaged.

kabae bara O  kabae bara. n. a mode of fishing in which bara are caught in a snare.

kabae kie O  kabae kie. v. to pack, to pack up, to get ready for a voyage, to get ready to go.

kabaea B  kabáea. vt. to tie, to bind.

kabaeanga O  kabaeanga. n. a promise of mutual help.

kabaebae B  kabáebae. vi. frequentative of kabae.  n. the act of binding, imprisonment, confinement, a running into debt.

kabaenata B  kab'aenaáta. vt. to heap up.

kabaenikai B  kabáenikai. cau. vi baenikai.

kabaenikaia B  kabáenikáia. vt. to hinder or engage one who is busy.

kabaeure O  kabae-ure. n. string, binding used to pull together the ribs of a canoe which have widened out.

kabaia B  kab'áia. a. fortunate, happy, highly favored.  n. blessedness, good fortune.  O  kabaia. a. kakabaia: happy, contented, satisfied, fortunate, blessed.  n. felicity, beatitude, contentment, satisfaction, prosperity, well being, delight, rapture.  vc. kakabaia: to make happy, to get happiness, to bless, to wish happiness, to wish good luck.

kabaibai B  kab'áib'ai. cau. vi b'aib'ai.  O  kabaibai. n. donation, endowment.  vc. kabaibaia: to make inherit, to endow.  kabaibaiaka ...

kabaibaia B  kab'aib'áia. cau. vt b'aib'ai.

kabaibata B  kabáibæta. vt. to give more force to, as the voice.  vt. to wait upon the wind until it is stronger.

kabaibati B  kabáibæti. vi. to use more or much force as in throwing or speaking.

kabaikabubu B  kabáikábubu. cau. va baikabubu awkward in throwing or spearing.

kabaikabubua B  kabáikabúbua. cau. vt baikabubu.

kabaikatekea B  kabáikatékea. vt. to speak of one's self as skilled in throwing.

kabaikorakia B  kab'áikorákia. vt. to encumber with much luggage.

kabaikuikuia B  kabáikuikúia. vt. to make one hesitate to shoot or throw, lest the wrong object be hit.

kabaimano B  kabáimæno. va. skilled in fitting or matching canoe planks.

kabaimaran B  kabáimæran. cau. va baimaran.

kabairaraoa B  kabáiraráoa. vi. to praise one for.  kab'áiraráoa. cau. vt b'airaraoi to furnish well.

kabairaraoi B  kabáiraráoi. va. conducting one's self impartially in distributing food.  kab'áiraráoi. va. causing or tending to a condition of being well furnished.

kabairawerawe B  kabairæ/weræw. cau. vi bairawerawe.

kabairekereke O  Kabairekereke. n. a constellation comprising several stars of Scorpion.

kabairemwe B  kabáiremwe. cau. vi bairemwe.

kabairemwea B  kabáiremwéa. cau. vt bairemwe.

kabairua O  Kabairua. n. a star of Scorpion.

kabaitata B  kabáitata. vi. to work rapidly.  n. rapid work.  kabáitataa. vt. to make one's self work rapidly.

kabaiteke B  kabáiteke. cau. va baiteke shooting or carrying well as a gun.

kabaitekea B  kabáitekea. vt. to speak of one as a sharp shooter.

kabaitoka B  kabáitoka. cau. va baitoka doing with rapidity.  kabáitokaa. vt. to expedite one's work.

kabaka B  kabáka. vt. to cause one to hunger.  kabákaa. vt. to pelt, to strike with something thrown.  kab'áka. a. ugly in appearance, homely, not well proportioned.  vt. to make fall, to cast down.  n. candied coconut molasses.  n. a place suitable for casting the net.  O  kabaka. from. baki.  vc. to gather together, to get together.  ex. used only as follows -- kabakia, kabakingkami.  kabaka1. from. baki.  vc. to cause hunger, to starve.  kabaka2. vc. to make fall, to knock down, to throw down.  kabaka3. a. deceptive, good for nothing, useless (person).  kabaka4. n. a well-chosen place to let down a fishing net.  kabaka5. n. a dish of grated coconut mixed with boiling hot kamaimai.

kabakabaka B  kab'ákab'aka. vi. to engage in making to fall.  kab'ákab'akaa. vt. frequentative of kab'aka.  O  kabakabaka. n. thick molasses (kamaimai).  kabakabaka1. v. to make fall, to scandalize.  a. scandalous.  vc. kabakabaka: to scandalize.  n. scandal.  kabakabaka2. v. to beat pandanus leaves with mallet to soften them.

kabakai ira O  kabakai ira. nv. a kind of magic ceremony at which the hair was cut.

kabakanakoa B  kab'akanákoa. vt. to wait until after another has gone.

kabakantang B  kabákantang. vi. to provoke to envy.

kabakantanga B  kabákantanga. vt. to provoke one to envy.

kabakaraea B  kabákaráea. vt. to scatter about, to throw into confusion, to litter.

kabakarotoa B  kabákarótoa. vt. to make a fire blaze up.

kabakaruru B  kabákaruru. vi. to make very hungry.

kabake B  kab'áke. vi. to have the lips drawn to one side.

kabakea B  kab'akéa. vt. to draw the lips to one side.

kabakekete B  kabakékete. vi. to make light, to make less heavy.

kabakeketea B  kabakéketea. vt. to make light, to make less heavy.

kabaki B  kabæ/ki. va. causing hunger.  n. a cause of hunger, a place with scarcity of food.  O  Kabaki. n. name of a man in ancient times.  ex. ana ma Kabaki: a reddish place (tari bo, tari-ura) in the west where the current gathered flotsam and wreckage.  arokani Kabaki, te arabungea, te kai ni beti: floating timber.  te kai ae aitoa: wood, trees half-submerged and hardly visible.  te kai ae aimauna: wood or trees, tree trunks submerged and only visible at times among eddies.  ana man Kabaki, Nei Karia, and Nei Karokoa: names for white phaeton which indicates by its high or low flight the distance of land.

kabakitaia B  kabækitáia. vt. to make hungry.

kabakoa B  kabákoa. n. fishing for sharks.

kabaku B  kabáku. vi. to engage in cutting off heads, or babai tops.  n. beheading, the cutting off the tops of babai.

kabakua B  kabákua. vt. to behead, to cut off a babai top, literally, to behead a babai.

kaban B  káb'an. n. a shell-fish, the.  O  kaban. n. a shell fish.  ex. species -- te kaban ni maran, kaban tabuki, kaban n anti, kaban-kokoti, kaban kokoa, kaban bareka.  G  káb'an. sn. Nerita plicata (i), Plicate nerite (ja).  L  kaban. sn. Nerita plicata (gastropod).  n. snail.

kabana B  kab'ána. a. improvident, given to loafing.  O  kabana. a. kabanabana deceptive, good for nothing, hopeless, most incapable.  see b'ana.

kabanabana B  kab'ánab'ana. cau. va b'anab'ana.  kab'ánab'anaa. vt. to represent certain work as irksome.

kabanaki O  kabanaki. n. shell.  sn. Plerocera sp.

kabanaoa B  kab'anáoa. cau. vt b'anae.

kabanaonao B  kab'anáonao. cau. vi b'anaonao very many, rough as the sea.

kabane B  kab'áne. n. a game in which a ball attached to a string is used.  vi. to play the game of kab'ane.  kabæ/ne. n. an assemblage of all the people.  O  kabane. n. national Gilbertese sport, a line with lead is thrown over a feather thrown up in the air.  v. to play this game.  n. te kabane n eitei: taking, catching frigate birds with a line kabane.  vc. kabanea te eitei: idem.  kabane1. n. a general assembly.

kabanea B  kabæ/nea. vt. to include all, to make all to do, to complete.  O  kabanea. vt. to terminate, to finish.  see bane.  ex. e kabaneaki: he is dismissed, got the sack <fired>.

kabanei B  kabæ/nei. n. a land bird, the.  O  kabanei. n. a bird with long tail, N.Z. swallow, the only bird in the islands living entirely on the land.  kabanei1. n. leather jacket;;  sn. Alutera scripta.  ex. te moa kabanei: a grey hen resembling te kabanei.  Na Kabanei: a man who rises early to cut toddy (he goes from tree top to tree top as the kabanei jumps from branch to branch).  kabanei2. n. trigger fishh.  sn. Amanses sandwichiensis.  ex. te kabanei, Na Kabanei: a star (of Serpent).  G  kabanei. sn. Alutera scripta (ll) leather jacket (sm).  kabanei1. sn. Amanses sandwichiensis (ll).  n. triggerfish (sm).  kabæ/nei 2. sn. Urodynamis taitensis.  n. <bird> long tailed New Zealand cuckoo (aa).  L  kabanei. sn. Alutera scripta (Monocanthida).  n. filefish.  sn. Amanses sandwichensis.

kabaneka B  kabæ/neka. vt. to spread out as in the sunshine.  bib. Jer 8: 2.

kabang B  kabaang/. n. a sword.  vi. to be seen accidentally, not by a direct look of the eye, but as it were by a side glance.  O  kabang. n. a sword, sabre.  kabang1. v. to pass like a gust of wind.  vc. ka-banga: to go around, roam about.  ex. e kabangira te riaboro: the devil roams about us.

kabanga B  kab'ánga. n. the penis (the euphemistic word is m'ane).  O  kabanga. vc. to put into a hole, drive in, put in a hiding place, hide away.  from. banga:  ex. kabanganakoa: to hide far away, in the bottom, in the very bottom.

kabanga bubu O  kabanga bubu. n. fishing for bubu with a bent wire.

kabanga n ira O  kabanga n ira. n. brown mottled eel.

kabangabai B  kabángabai. vi. to cause want of skill.

kabangabaia B  kabángabáia. vt. to speak of one as unskillful, to make one unskillful.

kabangaka B  kabángaka. vt. to lay as a mat at right angles to a previous position.  O  kabangaka. vc. to put crosswise, to cross.  see bangaki.

kabangaki B  kabángaki. n. a sail with horizontal widths.  O  kabangaki. n. ancient square sail for boat.

kabanganira G  kabanganira. n. a brown mottled Ophichthid eel, possible name for all such eels (ll).  L  kabanganira. sn. Ophichthidae.  n. brown mottled snake eel.

kabangkoro B  kaáb'angkoro. n. a carbuncle (ENG).

kabangubangua B  kabángubángua. vt. to make the voice sound nasal.

kabanimaran B  kab'ánimæran. n. a shell-fish, the.

kabanimtao B  kabanim/tao. n. a certain method of building a canoe.  O  kabanimtao. n. a mode of re-making a canoe (when lower part is worn it is separated from top part and remade, then joined again to top part).

kabanin B  kab'ánin. n. a canoe whose keel is of one piece.  O  kabanin. n. an ancient style of canoe, the keel was very strong, made of half thickness of coconut log, hollowed out, and a few planks added, the ends were made thin to join the mango to.

kabanina B  kab'ánina. vt. to give or make as a whole.

kabanmaran O  kabanmaran. n. a species of shell.  sn. Verita sp.

kabantabu O  kabantabu. n. species of shell.

kabantabuki B  kab'antábuki. n. a shell-fish, the.

kabanti B  kabaan/ti. n. a fish, the.  O  kabanti. n. species of fish.

kabao B  kab'áo. n. a large adze.  kabaáo. vi. the work of spreading out to dry.  O  kabao. n. an adze, sickle, scythe.  syn. te taku (Abemama).

kabaoa B  kabáoa. vt. to smooth down as a ruffled fringe or hair.  kabaáoa. vt. to spread out to dry under the sun as coconuts or clothes.  O  kabaoa. vc. to spread out.  see bao.  kabaoa1. vc. to bend, to inflect.  see bao.

kabaobaoa B  kabáobaoa. vt. frequentative of kabaoa.

kabaoua B  kab'áoua. cau. vt b'aoua to make crooked.

kabara B  káb'araa. vt. to forgive, to unloose, to untie, to undo.  káb'ara. vi. to fish by sinking the fish-hook with a stone which becomes unloosed.  n. a mide of fishing.  kab'aára. vi. to fish for the b'a:ra.  n. fishing for the b'a:ra.  O  kabara. vt. .  see bara.  kabara1. n. kakabara, kakabarabara: a mode of fishing where the bait is untied by a jerk at the bottom.  kabara2. n. fishing for bara.

kabara ria O  kabara ria. n. to gossip, to be a bore.  a. talkative, loquacious, prattling.  n. te tia kabara ria: a prattler, a gossiper.

kabarabara B  kab'árab'ara. vi. to engage in unloosing or unbinding.  O  kabarabara. v. to explain, to interpret, to expound.  n. explanation, interpretation, comment.  vt. kabarabara: idem.

kabaraka B  kabaráka. vt. to capsize.  kabaárakaa. vt. to soil, to make dirty.

kabarakaraka B  kab'arákaraka. cau. vt barakaraka.

kabaraki B  kabaraáki. n. a shirt, that wing or portion of an army that passes on the ocean side.  O  kabaraki. n. capping on ridge of building.  kabaraki1. n. a shirt.  kabaraki2. n. detachment of troops following the ocean side of island in order to attack the enemy from side or behind.

kabaranga B  kabaránga. see vt katetekea.

kabarara B  kab'árara. vt. to pour out water or oil from a coconut - shell bottle with the thumb or finger on the hole to regulate the stream.  O  kabarara. v. to pour drop by drop.  syn. ka-timtim.  vc. kabarara: idem.  from. bara, with doubling of the last syllable to show frequency.  equency.

kabaratu O  kabaratu. v. to make climbing impractical.  vc. kabaratua: which makes trees slippery -- impossible to climb.

kabareka B  kabaáreka. va. soiling, making dirty.