bilingual

adjective

bi·​lin·​gual (ˌ)bī-ˈliŋ-gwəl 

 also  -gyə-wəl

1

: having or expressed in two languages

a bilingual document

an officially bilingual nation

2

: using or able to use two languages especially with equal fluency

bilingual in English and Japanese

3

: of or relating to bilingual education

bilingual noun

bilingually adverb

Examples of bilingual in a Sentence

Several of the employees are bilingual.

He is bilingual in English and Japanese.

She grew up in a bilingual community.

The town has an excellent bilingual education program.

Recent Examples on the Web

For Derbez, who also serves as executive producer, part of the show’s charm is that Apple TV+’s first-ever Spanish bilingual series focuses on family-friendly storytelling and positive portrayal of Latinos. —Veronica Villafañe, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025

Part of the festival included the De Los Stage in association with L.A. Times en Español, a space that featured bilingual and multigenerational programming. —Fidel Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2025

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences president Janet Yang delivered a bilingual keynote speech that underscored film’s power as a universal language. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 18 Apr. 2025

Their team of licensed clinicians have extensive experience serving a wide range of communities – 40% are bilingual, totaling 30+ languages spoken. —Unitedhealthcare, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin bilinguis, from bi- + lingua tongue — more at tongue

First Known Use

1819, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing bilingual

• bilingual education

Rhymes for bilingual

• sublingual
• trilingual
• lingual
• monolingual

Kids Definition

bilingual

adjective

bi·​lin·​gual (ˌ)bī-ˈliŋ-g(yə-)wəl 

1

: of, expressed in, or using two languages

a bilingual dictionary

2

: able to use two languages especially with fluency