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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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t

ta

B ta 
  n tar, paint (ENG)
B ta 
  n a fish, the
O ta 
  for te:
  art the <a, an>.
  note used formerly but now only in Makin and Butaritari for some words.
  ex te kai: ta kai
O ta1 
  n a red rock fish, like mon
O ta2 
  n tar, paint. (ENG)
  ex te tia ta: painter.
  vt tana: to paint

taa

B táa 
  vt to smooth off, to remove roughness, to trim
L taa 
  ew tamalu
  sn Adioryx spinifer (holocentridae)
  n squirrelfish

taba

B táb'aa 
  n the blossom of the pan
B tába 
  n the cheek
  n a fish,the
B tábaa 
  va choked with food
B tæ/ba 
  va disputed or unsettled as a boundary
B taába 
  n a knife
  vt to pare, to whittle, to scrape
O taba 
  n strongly perfumed white leaves of pandanus.
  v to flower.
  a in flower.
  vc katabaea: let ..., wait till ...
  ex moantabaea: idem.
O taba1 
  n oil perfumed with pandanus leaves
O taba2 
  n a young girl.
  see otaba
O taba3 
  n cheek
  ex oro taba: to slap on cheek
  ex kabo taba: to embrace.
  see kaun taba
O taba4 
  n taban te rawa: sides, edges of passage.
  n te taba ni kawai: digression of route.
  v taba: to deviate, to go sideways.
  v tabataba, tabataba nako: to go in all directions, to zigzag, not following the straight path, ... the right direction, the middle course.
  ex e tabataba n taetae: cock and bull story, disconnected speech (e rawerawe nako n taetae)
  ex e tabataba kawaina: (canoe) unable to sail straight, but veering off course.
  vc ka taba: to make deviate, go sideways, digress, go off course
  ex e kataba kaina: he avoids a blow by moving (stepping) sideways
O taba5 
  n cutlass, jungle knife, sword, machete.
  syn naibi
  vt tabana: to possess, to take possession, to use a large knife, to split or cut with ...
O taba6 
  vt taba, ta bia, tabaki: to cut, to split, to sharpen point.
  syn korotaba, korotabia (to sharpen pencil) taima
O taba7 
  note special sound of p with very brief final a
  n choking.
  v to choke in swallowing.
  vt (irr.) to cause suffocation, choking in swallowing <suffocate>

tababa

B tábaba 
  n a species of shark, the
B tabaábaa 
  va fully armed
  va unkempt, bushy and curly as a head of hair
  va abounding in leaves
O tababa 
  n a man-eating shark. tiger shark
  sn Carcharodon carchavuas.
  v katababa: to fish for ...
O tababa1 
  from ba leaf or from ababaki (perhaps).
  n wide spreading branches, leaves <leaf> (of trees, plants), fuzzy (hair)
  ex atutababa: spread out, far reaching branches, bushes overrunning, encroaching, etc.
  see bakurakura, tabaruarua
  ex e tabababa n taetae: speaking much about many topics.
  vc katababaea, kakata ...: to make ..., to ruffle, to bristle, to frizz, to frizzle, etc.
  sup superlative of taba: going in all directions diverge)?>
G tababa 
  n tiger shark (ll)
L tababa 
  sn Galeocerdo cuvieri (Charcharhinidae)
  n requiem shark

tabaeko

L tabaeko 
  sn Fistularia petimba (Fistulariida)
  n cornet-fish

tabaitera

B tabaítera 
  a uneven, having one part larger than the other, one sided
O tabaitera 
  a going to one side, partial.
  n partiality

tabaka

B tábaka 
  vt to snap at as a dog, to kick as a horse
O tabaka 
  vt to surprise, to take by ..., to fall on, to seize, to bite, to hit suddenly.
  ex e na tabakiko te tababa: the shark will attack you, will surprise you suddenly

tabakea

B táb'akea 
  n shell turtle, the egg of a roach
B táb'akea 
  a favored or fortunate because rich
O tabakea 
  n name of myth. man-spirit
  v to have for one's totem a species of turtle
  ex te tabakea are i tari: turtle
  ex te tabakea ae i eta: spirit
O tabakea1 
  n (1) a species of turtle, having brilliant red shell (Banksbill turtle).
  n (2) ladybird
O tabakea2 
  v tabakeakea (value meaning)
  v to enjoy one's lot of lord and master, superiority, ... beauty (utopia), to be or pretend to be proud, beautiful.
  sup tabakea-uea
G táb'akea 
  sn Eretmochelys imbricata
  n hawksbill turtle (hh)

tabakeaua

B táb'akeáua 
  n a person well to do
  a well-to-do, prosperous, having means

tabakeauea

O tabakeauea 
  n the king of proud men.
  sup superlative of tabakea

tabaketani

B tabáketáni 
  n (ara) Sabachthani (ENG)
  bib Mat 27 : 46

tabakia

O tabakia 
  n a species of kabubu <fish>.
  see tabaka

tabakiakia

O tabakiakia 
  a dazzling beauty, magnificent appearance

tabakurakura

O tabakurakura 
  see tababa
  a bushy, puffed, overflowing, spreading out on all sides as person bending under a burden, burdened with a crowd of brats, overloaded with cumbrous gear, encumbered.
  vc katabakurakura: to overload, to encumber, to embarrass

tabanako

B tábanako 
  vi to slip off or away, as the foot or hand

tabaneaki

O tabaneaki 
  syn ruanuna (N.).
  n a fishing net (short with stake at each end) (S.)

tabaneki

B tabæ/neki 
  n a scoop-net for taking the aua

tabanga

O tabanga 
  from bangaki placed across:
  na spread out on show, for public use, handed over for public service (usually denoting a piece of land open to all).
  vt tabangaea: to put ..., to open to all.
  vc katabangaea: to open ...
  ex e tabangaki te rongorongo: the news is public

tabangaka

O tabangaka 
  vt tabangaka:: to spread out, to put on show, to hand over to public, to puclicity.
  vc katabangaka: to make ...
  see katanoata

tabaniban

O tabaniban 
  n a sea slug. sea cucumber>
O tabaniban1 
  v kiritabaniban: to go sideways, ... from side to side, ... from one extreme to the other, changeable
  ex e tabaniban nakoiu: he has changed his attitude towards me.
  see angitaban

tabanikai

B tabaánikai 
  va fully armed, carrying several deadly weapons
O tabanikai 
  a covered with armour, armed to the teeth, carrying gear

tabanin

B tab'ánin 
  va appearing distinctly as a coral isle at see, seen as a whole, seen as a bunch of pan to be ripe all over
B tab'ánin 
  n a square
O tabanin 
  n square, whole.
  a entire, quite visible, entirely formed
  ex e tabanin namakaina: the moon is full
  ex e tabanin te wa: the body of the canoe is complete.
  vc katabanin, kaka ...: to make square, whole

tabaninia

B tab'áninia 
  vt to eat food in common
  vt to give unanimity to words or statements

tabanou

B táb'anou 
  n the stem and stern of a canoe
  n the cranuim, the skull
O tabanou 
  n a crab
  sn Carpalius maculatus
O tabanou1 
  for tabarou: skull
  n tabanoun te wa: the two raised up ends of canoe
  ex te tabanou ni wae: knee, kneecap

tabanouniwae

B tab'anóuniwae 
  n the patella
  bk Phys p. 96

tabanura

B tabaánura 
  va unbound as the base of the ari
  n a coconut spathe for karewe not bound at the base
O tabanura 
  na (1) (taba:-n-u:ra) bristling of spikes on lobster called ura, bristle like, having sharp bristle.(2) spathe with twigs loose, not tied

tabanure

O tabanure 
  n spathe of coconut with twigs pointed

tabaokioki

O tabaokioki 
  from oki
  v to be moved backwards and forwards, to go to and fro, to swing like pendulum

tabaong

O Tabaong 
  n name of village of foolish people near Bikenibeu
  ex Te I-Tabaong: a foolish person.
  syn Te I-Tabweang, Te I-Ore

tabaota

B tábaota 
  n Sabaoth (HEB)

tabara

B táb'ara 
  vi to spread apart or crook as the legs
  bk Phys p. 11
O tabara 
  a tabarabara: want of symmetry, discordancy, asymmetrical, discordant.
  syn aitara buaka: not matching.
  vc katabara, katabarara: to cause ...
  see bobuaka, unra
O tabara1 
  a aside, remote, separated.
  fig to get away from subject.
  v to differ in opinion, to hesitate, misunderstand, to grope, tergiversate
  ex n aki tabara: without hesitation.
  nv katabara: a native way of climbing (knees apart, feet tightened on tree)
  ex katabari-ranga: knees apart

tabarabara

B tab'árab'ara 
  va frequentative of tab'ara

tabaraereke

O tabaraereke 
  n flying fishh
  sn Cyprelurus spilonopterus
G tabaraereke 
  sn Cypselurus spilonopterus
  n flying fish (ll)

tabaranga

O tabaranga 
  vt tabaranga: to hinder or get hindered by another's legs, to crack the legs of ...

tabarangaea

B tábarangáea 
  vt to trip

tabarara

O tabarara 
  n disaccord, misunderstanding between persons
  ex a i-tabarara: they don't agree among themselves

tabare

B tábare 
  vi to meddle
  n meddlesomeness, interference
O tabare 
  na tatapare, taparepare, tabaretua: turbulent, mischievous, importunate, upsetting, disturbing ...
  vt tabarea, tatabarea: to meddle, to put in disorder, to vex, to annoy, to bother

tabarea

B tabárea 
  vt to meddle with, to disturb

tabarebare

B tabárebare 
  vi frequentative of tabare
O tabarebare 
  na full of life, ardour, for some work or other, active, enterprising or mischievous, meddling <meddle>

tabarekai

O tabarekai 
  and katabarekai:
  a diligent, prompt at work.
  n te tia tabarekai: a good worker (climber, fisherman, etc.), goodprovider, not afraid of work (in pejorative rarely, scrounger).
  vt tabarekaia, katabarekaia

tabaretua

B tabáretuaa 
  vt to meddle with, to disturb, to trouble
B tabáretua 
  vi to be meddlesome, to be troublesome
  n meddlesomeness

tabariku

O tabariku 
  na large clouds covering sky. (N)
  sup tabarikuriku, tabakurikuri
  syn tabaruku (S.)

tabaro

B tábaro: 
  n the cheek-bone
O Tabaro 
  n Te I-Tabaro. village of foolish people.
  see Tabaong, Tabweang
O tabaro 
  n cheek bone
  ex tabaron te wa: board to keep out waves at each end of canoe

tabaroro

B tabaróro 
  a cloudy
O tabaroro 
  n overcast sky, threatening
  ex tabaronikarawa: darkening sky.
  fig gloomy, dark

tabarua

O tabarua 
  sup superlative of taba, tababa
  na tabaruarua bristling <bristle> all over.
  sup tabakurakura
  fig person overburdened.
  vc katabaruarua: to overburden, to weigh down, to hinder, to embarrass

tabaruku

B tabáruku 
  a unsettled as the weather, squally
O tabaruku 
  see tabariku

tabarukuruku

B tabarúkuruku 
  a having a rainy aspect

tabataba

B tábataba 
  n the edible part of the pandanus fruit
B tæ/batæba 
  va frequentative of tæba disputed
O tabataba 
  n edible part of pandanus fruit cut in slices ready to cook
  ex tabataban te ti: idem. but of inferior quality
O tabataba1 
  n word used to call tame birds to eat <come here>

tabati

B tábati 
  n the sabbath (ENG)
  vi to keep the sabbath
  a uneven as the ground
O tabati 
  n Sabbath, Sunday, keeping Sunday (ENG)
O tabati1 
  a enormous, excessively huge, too voluminous
  ex e katabati tauana: too big to handle.
  vt katabatia: to find too heavy, to judge to be too ...

tabatibutibu

O tabatibutibu 
  a covered with swellings, uneven, bumpy (ground, surface).
  vc katabatibutibua, katatibutibu: to make ..., to raise up, to swell

tabatoatoa

B tabatóatoa 
  a having ridges or uneven places as a spot on which one is lying
O tabatoatoa 
  syn of prec.
  na (1) said of trunk covered with knobs, protuberances, lumps, uneven ground, rough sea.
  na (2) buffeted by waves, jolted by bumps.
  vc katabatoatoa: to make ..., to cause, to jolt, to buffet

tabatoutou

B tabatóutou 
  vi to toss about as a craft
O tabatoutou 
  a going in leaps and bounds (as over bumpy road or canoe on rough sea).
  vc katabatoutou: to cause ..., to make ...

tabaua

B tabáua 
  a foolish, idiotic
  n foolishness, a fool
O tabaua 
  na sometimes normal, sometimes abnormal, a bit crazy at times, cracked ..., disordered brain.
  vc katabaua: to cause to be ..., to confuse the mind

tabaura

B tabáura 
  n a rainbow
O tabaura 
  n a rainbow

tabauraura

O tabauraura 
  na red or pink cloud over horizon at sunrise or sunset (weather sign)

tabe

B tábe 
  va busy, engaged, employed
  n the state of being occupied
B tábe 
  a some
O tabe 
  pref tabe-ua, tabeman, tabekai: a few, some, several
O tabe1 
  rad of tabeka and forming many compound words:
  ex tabeatibu: to carry stones
  ex tabe-kai: to carry sticks, etc.
O tabe2 
  va to be occupied, busy, busy about, busy working
  n te tabe n nano: worry, preoccupation.
  sup tabetabe: very busy.
  sup taberua, tataberua, taberua nako preoccupied, worried about, overworked.
  vc ka-tabea: to occupy, to give work to, to employ ...
  freq v katabetabea: to give much ...
  ex katabea te nano: to preoccupy
  ex katabea te ika: to go fishing

tabea

B tábea 
  va bewildered at sea
  n bewilderment at sea, loss of reckoning
O tabea 
  from taba
  v tabea, tabea nako: to go astray, to get lost, to ge lost at sea.
  fig to get confused, to lose the thread of ...
  ex te tabea, te taba ni kawai: to get off right path
  ex te wa n tabea nako: a canoe in distress
  ex te tabea nako: to perish at sea

tabeaianga

B tabeáianga 
  a full of care, having much to look after
  n care, responsibility for safety
O tabeaianga 
  ex tabe n iangoa angana
  n preoccupation, worry.
  v to have ..., be worried about
  ex I tabeaianga irouna: I am worried about him.
  vc katabeaianga, kaka ...: giving ..., causing worry.
  vc n. katabeaianga: to be worried, preoccupied
  ex e bati te katabeaianga: there are many worries, cares

tabeataei

B tábeatáei 
  vi to act as foster parent
  n the care of a child by a foster parent

tabeatu

B tabeátu 
  n an incantation for the dead
  vi to maek an incantation for the dead
O tabeatu 
  nv to raise the head (of corpse), ceremony with sorcery

tabeba

B tábeba 
  a some, used in speaking of leaves
O tabeba 
  n a few leaves, pages.
  vt tabeba: to take by leaf, to turn page by page

tabebaea

B tabebáea 
  vt to turn the leaves as of a book, to gather a few pan leaves at a time when scarce

tabeibeti

B tabéibeti 
  vi to hover
O tabeibeti 
  from beti
  n to float in air, to glide

tabeiro

B tábeiro 
  n a sapphire (GR)

tabeitera

O tabeitera 
  n lop sided, badly balanced (canoe, basket, kite, etc.).
  fig partial, taking sides, supporting
  ex e tabeitera am taeka: you are speaking in favour of the other side against me, you are taking sides.
  vt tabeitera: to balance badly

tabeka

B tábeka 
  vt to lift up, to take up
  n a kind of scoop-net
O tabeka 
  vt to raise up, to elevate, to carry, to lift up.
  fig to begin to sing, ... to talk, ... to tell.
  ex tabeka te anene, tabeka te taeka, ti te tabekana: begin together to lift, take, sing
  ex tabeka rake ... rio: to lift towards ...
  ex tabeka nako: to lift and carry away.
  freq v tatabeka, tabetabeka
O tabeka1 
  n te tabeka: a large scoop net with short handle

tabekai

B tábekai 
  a some, referring to trees and objects, counted with the suffix kai
B tábekai 
  vi to engage in carrying sticks of timber

tabekanatu

B tábekanátu 
  n a posthumous incantation, a fetish
O tabekanatu 
  n a special dish prepared for an important person, person who uplifts the prestige of family, a magic -- religious ceremony to honour a defunct.
  see tabeau

tabekantabo

O tabekantabo 
  n a welcome offering to a guest, to a spirit (anti)

tabeman

B tábemæn 
  a some, several, a few, referring to animate objects
O tabeman 
  a several, a few, some (animate).
  vt tabemania, tatabemania: to treat one by one, separately, individually

tabemang

B tabem'aang/ 
  a some, referring to persons
O tabemang 
  or temangina
  a some, someone

tabemania

B tabemæ/nia 
  vt to go or do one by one, severally

tabemoa

O tabemoa 
  n the one who starts off, begins

tabera

B tábera 
  n the upper portion as the leaves nad branches
O tabera 
  n summit, peak, top.
  adv i taberana: at the ...

taberaitiai

O taberaitiai 
  n magic necklace garland with uri flowers at seven different spaces

taberamae

B táberamáe 
  va indicating dispersion or return to homes
O taberamae 
  n disagreement, dispersion.
  v to disperse, to separate.
  n impending departure for long voyage.
  v to be about, or preparing <prepare> to depart

taberamaiu

B táberamáiu 
  a having a vigorous top, as a tree or plant
O taberamaiu 
  na flourishing head (tree,plant)

taberamate

B táberamæ/te 
  a having a dying top, as a tree or plant
  a liable to accident or misfortune
O taberamate 
  a withering at top, dying <die>, in peril.
  ant taberanimaiu.
  fig decaying, in danger

taberamatoa

B táberamæ/toa 
  a not yet, or slow in bearing fruit, as the pan
O taberamatoa 
  a tardy or backward in bearing fruit

taberanikai

B taberæ/nikai 
  n kabubu mixed with coconut
O taberanikai 
  n a variety of kabubu of superior quality (mixed with grated coconut).
  fig au taberanikai: my best friends, my favourite, preferred (for things and food, nikarearea)

taberanrongorongo

B táberanróngorongo 
  vi to bring or impart news
O taberan-rongorongo 
  n te marewen-rongorongo. person who is source of news and gossip, prime author

tabernibou

O tabernibou 
  n top angle of sail

taberon

B tæ/beron 
  n saffron (ENG)

taberua

O taberua 
  a occupied, very busy.
  sup taberuarua, taberua nako: overworked, strained

tabetabe

B tábetabe 
  vi to engage in carrying, to repeatedly carry
B tábetabe 
  n a kind of game in which persons are taken up and carried
O tabetabe 
  see tabe
  n te kai n tabetabe: stretcher
O tabetabe1 
  n (1) child adopted from infancy (tabekaki).
  n (2) plant, transplanted plant.
  n (3) custom of carrying newlywed on shoulders
O tabetabe2 
  n a call to attract birds, frigates towards foor or bait.
  syn tabataba
  vc katabetabe: to call ...

tabetabeka

B tabetábeka 
  vt frequentative of tabeka

tabetai

O tabetai 
  a sometimes.
  adv n tabetai: at times

tabetea

O tabetea 
  vt to touch, to work, to do lightly, to glide over

tabetinako

B tabétinako 
  vi to pass away as a cloud, to pass as a shower at a distance
O tabetinako 
  from beti
  v to drift away, to float away lightly (cloud, smoke, canoe)

tabetirake

B tabétirake 
  vi to rise up as