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bat

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See also: Appendix:Variations of "bat"

Languages (32)

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Translingual

Etymology

Abbreviation of English Baltic.

Symbol

bat

(international standards) ISO 639-2 & ISO 639-5 language code for Baltic languages.

English

English Wikipedia has an article on:

bat

Pronunciation

enPR: băt, IPA^(key): /bæt/
Audio (US): (file)
Audio (General Australian): (file)
Rhymes: -æt

Etymology 1

Mariana's fruit bat (Pteropus mariannus) (sense 1)

Dialectal variant (akin to dialectal Swedish natt-batta) of Middle English bakke, balke, of North Germanic origin. Perhaps compare Old Norse (leðr)blaka (literally “(leather) flapper”), from leðr + blaka (“to flap”).

Compare Old Swedish natbakka, Old Danish nathbakkæ.

Noun

bat (plural bats)

Any flying mammal of the order Chiroptera, usually small and nocturnal, insectivorous or frugivorous.
Synonyms: chiropter, chiropteran, flindermouse, flitterbat, flittermouse, fluttermouse, flying mouse, rattlemouse, reremouse
- 1920, Mary Roberts Rinehart, Avery Hopwood, chapter I, in The Bat: A Novel from the Play (Dell Book; 241), New York, N.Y.: Dell Publishing Company, →OCLC, page 01:
  The Bat—they called him the Bat. Like a bat he chose the night hours for his work of rapine; like a bat he struck and vanished, pouncingly, noiselessly; like a bat he never showed himself to the face of the day.
- 2012, Suemedha Sood, (bbc.co.uk) Travelwise: Texas love bats [sic]
  As well as being worth millions of dollars to the Texan agriculture industry, these mammals are worth millions of dollars to the state’s tourism industry. Texas is home to the world’s largest known bat colony (in Comal County), and the world’s largest urban bat colony (in Austin). Bat watching is a common activity, with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department offering more bat-viewing sites than anywhere else in the US.
(derogatory) An old woman.
- 2000, Bill Oddie, Gripping Yarns, page 196:
  "Isn't it lovely?" I smiled and thought: "Yes it is. It's also a Blackbird, you silly old bat!

Derived terms

terms derived from bat (flying animal)

Translations

See bat/translations § Noun.

See also

Etymology 2

A player swinging a baseball bat (sense 2)

From Middle English bat, batte, from Old English batt (“bat, club, cudgel”), probably of Celtic origin, compare Old Breton bath (“club, cudgel”) and modern Breton bazh (“swagger stick”), ultimately from a derivative of Proto-Indo-European *bʰedʰh₂- (“to strike, beat, pierce”), similar to the Gaulish source of Latin battuo (“I beat, pound”).^[1]

Noun

bat (plural bats)

A club, made of wood like a baseball bat or otherwise, used as a weapon
A club made of wood or aluminium used for striking the ball in sports such as baseball, softball and cricket.
A turn at hitting the ball with a bat in a game.
You've been in for ages. Can I have a bat now?
A player rated according to skill in batting.
He's a good fielder and a valuable bat.
(two-up) The piece of wood on which the spinner places the coins and then uses for throwing them.^[2]
Synonyms: kip, kylie, lannet, stick
(mining) Shale or bituminous shale.
- 1799, Richard Kirwan, Geological Essays:
  bituminous shale ; which miners , if I mistake not , call bat
A sheet of cotton used for filling quilts or comfortables; batting.
A part of a brick with one whole end.
A stroke; a sharp blow.
(UK, Scotland, dialect) A stroke of work.
(informal) Rate of motion; speed.
- 1842, Sporting Magazine, page 251:
  On starting, The Nun led at a very slow pace for a quarter of a mile, when the Shrigley colt made running at a good bat.
- 1898, unknown author, Pall Mall Magazine:
  a vast host of fowl […] making at full bat for the North Sea.
(US, slang, dated) A spree; a jollification; a binge, jag.
(UK, Scotland, dialect) Manner; rate; condition; state of health.
(Kent, Sussex) A rough walking stick.^[3]^[4]
- 1609, William Shakespeare, “A Louers Complaint”, in Shake-speares Sonnets. […], London: By G[eorge] Eld for T[homas] T[horpe] and are to be sold by William Aspley, →OCLC, signature K2, verso:
  So ſlides he dovvne vppon his greyned bat; / And comely diſtant ſits he by her ſide, […]

Synonyms

(two-up): kip, stick, kylie, lannet

Derived terms

Translations

See bat/translations § Noun.

References

^ Beekes, R. S. P. (1997). Sound Law and Analogy: Papers in Honor of Robert S.P. Beekes on the Occasion of His 60th Birthday. Netherlands: Rodopi, p. 312
^ Sidney J. Baker, The Australian Language, second edition, 1966, chapter XI section 3, page 242
^ A Dictionary of the Sussex Dialect. W.D. Parrish
^ A Dictionary of the Kentish Dialect and Provincialisms. W. D. Parish and W.F. Shaw

Etymology 3

From Middle English batten, baten (“to beat”), from Old French batre (“to beat”), from Late Latin battere, from Latin battuere, of uncertain origin; perhaps of Germanic or Celtic origin. In modern English reinterpreted as a verbal derivative of Etymology 2. Compare batter, battery.

Verb

bat (third-person singular simple present bats, present participle batting, simple past and past participle batted)

(transitive) To hit with a bat or (figuratively) as if with a bat.
He batted the ball away with a satisfying thwack.

We batted a few ideas around.
(intransitive) To take a turn at hitting a ball with a bat in sports like cricket, baseball and softball, as opposed to fielding.
(intransitive) To strike or swipe as though with a bat.
The cat batted at the toy.
(UK, dialect, obsolete) To bate or flutter, as a hawk.

Derived terms

terms derived from bat (verb)

Translations

See bat/translations § Verb.

Etymology 4

Possibly a variant of bate.

Verb

bat (third-person singular simple present bats, present participle batting, simple past and past participle batted)

(transitive) To flutter
to bat one’s eyelashes
(US, UK, dialect) To wink.
(intransitive, usually with ‘around’ or ‘about’) To flit quickly from place to place.
I’ve spent all week batting around the country.
- 1956 February, W. A. Tuplin, “Hot Work on a "Star"”, in Railway Magazine, page 88:
  The "Star" is batting along at about a mile a minute, chattering away at the chimney and snatching small coal off the shovel.

Usage notes

Most commonly used in the phrase bat an eye, and variants thereof.

Derived terms

Etymology 5

Borrowed from French bât, from Old French bast, from Vulgar Latin *bastum, form of *bastāre (“to carry”), from Ancient Greek βαστάζω (bastázō, “to lift, carry”). Doublet of baton and baston.

Noun

bat (plural bats)

(obsolete) A packsaddle.

Derived terms

batman

Etymology 6

Noun

bat

Dated form of baht (“Thai currency”).

Etymology 7

Noun

bat (plural bats)

(Caribbean, MLE) Clipping of batty (“buttocks or anus”).

Etymology 8

Noun

bat (plural bats)

(UK, dialect, obsolete) A child's shoe without a welt.
- 1909, Boot and Shoe Recorder, volume 55, page 25:
  The retailer who sells a little girl a pretty pair of shoes today instead of a pair of bats, is bound to sell that girl, when she grows up, a pair of stylish $3 or $4 shoes instead of her buying a pair of $1.98 bargain bats elsewhere.
(UK, slang, obsolete) A boot that is badly made or in poor condition.

References

(child's shoe; boot): J. Wright, The English Dialect Dictionary
(boot): 1873, John Camden Hotten, The Slang Dictionary

Etymology 9

Noun

bat (plural bats)

(slang) Clipping of battery.
Alternative form: batt
- 1997 November 30, renovations@usa.net [Sherry Edwards], “FS----Great Xmas Gifts”, in van.forsale‎^[2] (Usenet), archived from the original on 9 September 2025:
  All these things must sell... […] * Motorola Cell phone bat/case/no contract
- 1999 February 16, Death to Spammers!!!, “Palm V Sneak Preview - Review with Pictures”, in comp.sys.palmtops.pilot‎^[3] (Usenet), archived from the original on 9 September 2025:
  [T]he razor was allways^[sic] planed^[sic] to be a thinner PalmIII with Li-Ion bat and a better LCD (i.e. less glare and more contrast)... […] You can replace it in the same way than^[sic] the Cell Phone bat's...very easy !!!
- 2000 June 30, Steve Perry, “cheapest place for laptop bat?”, in england.ads.computer‎^[4] (Usenet), archived from the original on 9 September 2025:
  where is cheapest place to buy laptop batt?
- 2002 September 1, gofast, “f.S Computer stuff”, in kingston.forsale‎^[5] (Usenet), archived from the original on 9 September 2025:
  1 toshiba^[sic] t2450ct laptop bat does not work but fine on power supply.
- 2003 July 7, 1234, “Wanted dead laptop bat packs for IBM”, in calgary.forsale‎^[6] (Usenet), archived from the original on 9 September 2025:
  I am looking for dead battery packs for the IBM 700 series.
- 2005 January 10, Richard, “laptop batteries”, in wpg.computers.help‎^[7] (Usenet), archived from the original on 9 September 2025:
  The retail for my laptop bat in Wpg was around $300 and I got it for around $125 canadian.^[sic]

See also

Anagrams

ABT, ATB, B.T.A., BTA, TBA, Tab, abt, abt., tab

Achang

Etymology

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *N-pat.

Pronunciation

(Myanmar) /bat˧/
(Lianghe) [pa³¹]
(Longchuan) [pat³⁵]
(Luxi) [pat³¹]
(Xiandao) [pat⁵⁵]

Verb

bat

to strike, hit, beat

Further reading

Inglis, Douglas; Sampu, Nasaw; Jaseng, Wilai; Jana, Thocha (2005), A preliminary Ngochang–Kachin–English Lexicon‎^[8], Payap University, pages 10-11

Aromanian

Alternative forms

batu

Etymology

From Latin battō, from earlier battuō. Compare Daco-Romanian bat, bate.

Verb

bat (third-person singular bati or bate, participle bãtutã)

to beat, hit, strike
to defeat

Synonyms

(beat): agudescu
(defeat): azvingu

Related terms

Basque

Etymology

From a reduced form of Proto-Basque *bade (“one, some”), present also in bederatzi (“nine”) and bedera (“same; everyone”).^[1]^[2]^[3] Compared by Eduardo Orduña and Joan Ferrer to Iberian ban (“one”).^[4]^[5]

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /bat/ [bat̪]
Audio: (file)
Rhymes: -at
Hyphenation: bat

Determiner

bat (postposed)

a, an, some
musu bat
a kiss
(after a numeral) some, about, around
Bidaiak hamar bat ordu iraungo du.
The trip will take around ten hours.
the same

Usage notes

The determiner doesn't take the definite singular form.

Declension

Declension of Basque indefinite and related pronouns/determiners
		bat				bakoitz
		indefinite	singular	plural		indefinite	singular
absolutive		bat	bata	batzuk		bakoitz	bakoitza
ergative		batek	batak	batzuek		bakoitzek	bakoitzak
dative		bati	batari	batzuei		bakoitzi	bakoitzari
genitive		baten	bataren	batzuen		bakoitzen	bakoitzaren
comitative		batekin	batarekin	batzuekin		bakoitzekin	bakoitzarekin
causative		batengatik, bategatik	batarengatik	batzuengatik		bakoitzengatik	bakoitzarengatik
benefactive		batentzat	batarentzat	batzuentzat		bakoitzentzat	bakoitzarentzat
instrumental		batez	bataz	batzuez		bakoitzez	bakoitzaz
inessive	anim	batengan	batarengan	batzuengan		bakoitzengan	bakoitzarengan
inessive	inan	batean, baten	batean	batzuetan		bakoitzean	bakoitzean
locative		bateko	bateko	batzuetako		bakoitzeko	bakoitzeko
allative	anim	batengana	batarengana	batzuengana		bakoitzengana	bakoitzarengana
allative	inan	batera	batera	batzuetara		bakoitzera	bakoitzera
terminative	anim	batenganaino	batarenganaino	batzuenganaino		bakoitzenganaino	bakoitzarenganaino
terminative	inan	bateraino	bateraino	batzuetaraino		bakoitzeraino	bakoitzeraino
directive	anim	batenganantz	batarenganantz	batzuenganantz		bakoitzenganantz	bakoitzarenganantz
directive	inan	baterantz	baterantz	batzuetarantz		bakoitzerantz	bakoitzerantz
destinative	anim	batenganako	batarenganako	batzuenganako		bakoitzenganako	bakoitzarenganako
destinative	inan	baterako	baterako	batzuetarako		bakoitzerako	bakoitzerako
ablative	anim	batengandik	batarengandik	batzuengandik		bakoitzengandik	bakoitzarengandik
ablative	inan	batetik	batetik	batzuetatik		bakoitzetik	bakoitzetik

Numeral

**Basque numbers ^(edit)**
		10
	^{[a], [b]} ← 0	1	2 →	10 →
Cardinal: bat Ordinal: lehen Multiplier: bakoitz Distributive: bana

bat

one
Sagar bat eta lau laranja.
One apple and four oranges.

Usage notes

The declension table shown in this section only applies when bat is used as a noun (usually when referring to the number itself). For other uses see the other declension tables.

Declension

Declension of *bat* (inan C-stem)
	indefinite	singular	plural	proximal plural
absolutive	bat	bata	batak	batok
ergative	batek	batak	batek	batok
dative	bati	batari	batei	batoi
genitive	baten	bataren	baten	baton
comitative	batekin	batarekin	batekin	batokin
causative	batengatik	batarengatik	batengatik	batongatik
benefactive	batentzat	batarentzat	batentzat	batontzat
instrumental	batez	bataz	batez	batotaz
innesive	batetan	batean	batetan	batotan
locative	batetako	bateko	batetako	batotako
allative	batetara	batera	batetara	batotara
terminative	batetaraino	bateraino	batetaraino	batotaraino
directive	batetarantz	baterantz	batetarantz	batotarantz
destinative	batetarako	baterako	batetarako	batotarako
ablative	batetatik	batetik	batetatik	batotatik
partitive	batik	—	—	—
prolative	battzat	—	—	—

Derived terms

bat egin (“to unite”)
bat egon (“to agree”)
bat etorri (“to agree”)
bat izan (“to be united”)
batasun (“unity”)
bateko (“single”)
batera etorri
bateraezin
bateraezintasun
bateragarri
bateragarritasun
baterako
bateratasun
bateratu (“to collect”)
bateratzaile
batu (“to unite”)
batugai (“summand”)
batugailu
batukari (“summation”)
batuketa (“sum, addition”)
batura (“sum”)
batza
batzaile (“uniter”)
batzaldi (“meeting”)
batzoki

Pronoun

bat (indefinite)

some, something, someone

Usage notes

When used as a pronoun, the definite form bata is more common in Southern dialects.

Declension

Declension of Basque indefinite and related pronouns/determiners
		bat				bakoitz
		indefinite	singular	plural		indefinite	singular
absolutive		bat	bata	batzuk		bakoitz	bakoitza
ergative		batek	batak	batzuek		bakoitzek	bakoitzak
dative		bati	batari	batzuei		bakoitzi	bakoitzari
genitive		baten	bataren	batzuen		bakoitzen	bakoitzaren
comitative		batekin	batarekin	batzuekin		bakoitzekin	bakoitzarekin
causative		batengatik, bategatik	batarengatik	batzuengatik		bakoitzengatik	bakoitzarengatik
benefactive		batentzat	batarentzat	batzuentzat		bakoitzentzat	bakoitzarentzat
instrumental		batez	bataz	batzuez		bakoitzez	bakoitzaz
inessive	anim	batengan	batarengan	batzuengan		bakoitzengan	bakoitzarengan
inessive	inan	batean, baten	batean	batzuetan		bakoitzean	bakoitzean
locative		bateko	bateko	batzuetako		bakoitzeko	bakoitzeko
allative	anim	batengana	batarengana	batzuengana		bakoitzengana	bakoitzarengana
allative	inan	batera	batera	batzuetara		bakoitzera	bakoitzera
terminative	anim	batenganaino	batarenganaino	batzuenganaino		bakoitzenganaino	bakoitzarenganaino
terminative	inan	bateraino	bateraino	batzuetaraino		bakoitzeraino	bakoitzeraino
directive	anim	batenganantz	batarenganantz	batzuenganantz		bakoitzenganantz	bakoitzarenganantz
directive	inan	baterantz	baterantz	batzuetarantz		bakoitzerantz	bakoitzerantz
destinative	anim	batenganako	batarenganako	batzuenganako		bakoitzenganako	bakoitzarenganako
destinative	inan	baterako	baterako	batzuetarako		bakoitzerako	bakoitzerako
ablative	anim	batengandik	batarengandik	batzuengandik		bakoitzengandik	bakoitzarengandik
ablative	inan	batetik	batetik	batzuetatik		bakoitzetik	bakoitzetik

Derived terms

References

^ R. L. Trask (2008), “bat”, in Max W. Wheeler, editor, Etymological Dictionary of Basque, University of Sussex, page 128
^ Mitxelena, Koldo L. (1961), Fonética histórica vasca [Basque Historical Phonetics] (Obras completas de Luis Michelena; 1) (in Spanish), Diputación Foral de Guipuzkoa, published 1990, →ISBN, page 134
^ “bat”, in Orotariko Euskal Hiztegia [General Basque Dictionary], Euskaltzaindia, 1987–2005
^ Orduña A., Eduardo (2011), “Los numerales ibéricos y el protovasco [Iberian numerals and Proto-Basque]”, in Veleia‎^[1] (in Spanish), volume 28, pages 125–139
^ Joan Ferrer i Jané, El sistema de numerales ibérico: avances en su conocimiento

Further reading

“bat zenbatzailea”, in Euskara Batuaren Eskuliburua [Handbook of Standard Basque], Euskaltzaindia, 2023
“bat zenbatzailea / -a artikulua (batzuk/-ak)”, in Euskara Batuaren Eskuliburua [Handbook of Standard Basque], Euskaltzaindia, 2023
“bat”, in Euskaltzaindiaren Hiztegia [Dictionary of the Basque Academy] (in Basque), Euskaltzaindia [Royal Academy of the Basque Language]

Catalan

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic, Valencia) [ˈbat]
Audio (Barcelona): (file)
Rhymes: -at

Etymology 1

Deverbal from batre.

Noun

bat m (plural bats)

a place exposed to the elements
Synonyms: batent, baterell

Etymology 2

Verb

bat

inflection of batre:
1. third-person singular present indicative
2. second-person singular imperative

Etymology 3

Borrowed from English bat.

Noun

bat m (plural bats)

(baseball) bat

Derived terms

batada

Related terms

batedor

Further reading

“bat”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007

Cebuano

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈbat/ [ˈbat̪]

Noun

bat

alternative form of balat

Danish

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ˈb̥ad̥]

Etymology 1

From English bat.

Noun

bat n (singular definite battet, plural indefinite bat or bats)

bat (a club for striking a ball)

Declension

Declension of *bat*
neuter gender	singular		plural
neuter gender	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	bat	battet	bat bats	battene
genitive	bats	battets	bats bats'	battenes

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

bat

imperative of batte

French

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ba/
Audio (France (Vosges)): (file)
Audio (Canada (Shawinigan)): (file)
Audio (France (Somain)): (file)
Homophones: bats (general), bât, bâts, bas (some speakers)

Verb

bat

third-person singular present indicative of battre

See also

bat les couilles (“not give a fuck”)

Anagrams

t.a.b.

German

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /baːt/
Audio (Germany (Berlin)): (file)
Rhymes: -aːt
Homophones: Bad (standard, but not universal), Bart (some speakers)

Verb

bat

first/third-person singular preterite of bitten

Haitian Creole

Etymology

From French battre (“beat”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /bat/

Verb

bat

to spank, to beat

Hokkien

Etymology 1

Borrowed from English bus.

Pronunciation

Southern Min
(Hokkien, POJ): bat / ba̍t

(Teochew, Peng'im): bhat⁸

Southern Min
- (Hokkien: Singapore)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: bat
  - Tâi-lô: bat
  - Phofsit Daibuun: bad
  - Sinological IPA (Singapore): /bat̚³²/
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ba̍t
  - Tâi-lô: ba̍t
  - Phofsit Daibuun: bat
  - Sinological IPA (Xiamen, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /bat̚⁴/
  - Sinological IPA (Zhangzhou): /bat̚¹²¹/
  - Sinological IPA (Quanzhou): /bat̚²⁴/
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: bhat⁸
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: ba̍t
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /batʰ⁴/

Noun

bat

(Singapore Hokkien, Singapore Teochew) bus (Classifier: 輛／辆 m; 架 c; 部 c)

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 公共汽車 (“(public) bus”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		公共汽車 China, 巴士 Singapore
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	公交車, 公交, 公共汽車
	Taiwan	公共汽車, 公車, 客運, 巴士
	Harbin	公共汽車
	Malaysia	巴士
	Singapore	巴士
Jilu Mandarin	Tianjin	公交車, 公交
Jilu Mandarin	Jinan	公共汽車, 公務汽車 Hui people in Ganshiqiao
Jiaoliao Mandarin	Yantai (Muping)	公共兒汽車
Central Plains Mandarin	Xi'an	公共汽車
	Xining	公共汽車
	Xuzhou	公共汽車
	Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan)	公共汽車, автобус
Lanyin Mandarin	Yinchuan	公共汽車
	Lanzhou	公共車, 公交車
	Ürümqi	公共汽車, 公共車
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	公共汽車
	Wuhan	公共汽車
	Guiyang	公共汽車
	Liuzhou	公共汽車
Jianghuai Mandarin	Nanjing	公共汽車兒
Jianghuai Mandarin	Yangzhou	公交車子
Cantonese	Guangzhou	公共汽車, 巴士
	Hong Kong	巴士
	Taishan	巴士
	Dongguan	公共汽車
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	巴士, 巴車
	Singapore (Guangfu)	巴士
Gan	Lichuan	公共汽車
Hakka	Meixian	公共汽車
	Yudu	公共汽車
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	巴士, 公車, 公共汽車
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	巴士, 公車, 公共汽車
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	巴士, 公車, 公共汽車
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	巴士, 公車, 公共汽車
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	巴士, 公車, 公共汽車
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	巴士, 公車
Jin	Taiyuan	汽車
Jin	Xinzhou	公共汽車
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	公交車, 公交
Southern Min	Taipei	公車, 巴士
	New Taipei (Sanxia)	巴士
	Kaohsiung	公車, 巴士
	Yilan	公車
	Changhua (Lukang)	公車, 巴士
	Taichung	公車
	Tainan	公車, 巴士
	Hsinchu	巴士
	Kinmen	公車
	Penghu (Magong)	公車
	Penang (Hokkien)	bas
	Singapore (Hokkien)	bat, 巴士
	Manila (Hokkien)	bas, bas車, bus
	Shantou	公交車
	Singapore (Teochew)	巴士
	Wenchang	公共汽車, 公車
	Haikou	公共汽車
	Qionghai	公交車
	Singapore (Hainanese)	巴車
Zhongshan Min	Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi)	巴士
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	公共汽車
Wu	Shanghai	公交車, 公共汽車
	Shanghai (Chongming)	公共汽車
	Suzhou	公共汽車
	Danyang	公共汽車
	Hangzhou	公共汽車
	Wenzhou	公共車
	Jinhua	公交車, 公共汽車
Xiang	Changsha	公共汽車
Xiang	Xiangtan	公共車子

Etymology 2

For pronunciation and definitions of bat – see 捌 (“to know; to recognise; to be familiar with”). (This term is the pe̍h-ōe-jī form of 捌).

Indonesian

Pronunciation

(Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /ˈbat/ [ˈbat̪̚]
Rhymes: -at
Syllabification: bat

Adverb

bat

(slang) syncopic form of banget

Jamaican Creole

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈbat/
Hyphenation: bat

Etymology 1

bat

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

bat (plural bat dem, quantified bat)

moth (nocturnal insect)
Duppy bat still a fly like hawk.
Black witch moths are still flying around like hawks.
- 2003, Amber Wilson, Jamaica: The Land (in English), page 30:
  “Hundreds of species of butterflies and moths live in Jamaica. Jamaicans call large moths "bats." The black witch moth is known as "the duppy bat." A duppy is a spirit in Jamaican culture that sometimes causes mischief. Duppy bats have brown [...]”

Derived terms

Etymology 2

bat

From English bat.

Noun

bat (plural bat dem, quantified bat)

bat (instrument for hitting or striking)
When yu get one lick from me wid di bat... yu wi know.
If I hit you once with this bat, you'll understand.

Derived terms

old bat

References

Richard Allsopp, editor (1996), Dictionary of Caribbean English Usage, Kingston, Jamaica: University of the West Indies Press, published 2003, →ISBN, page 83
bat – jamaicans.com Jamaican Patois dictionary

Jingpho

Etymology

Borrowed from Burmese ပတ် (pat).

Noun

bat

week

References

Kurabe, Keita (31 December 2016), “Phonology of Burmese loanwords in Jinghpaw”, in Kyoto University Linguistic Research‎^[9], volume 35, →DOI, →ISSN, pages 91–128

Luo

Noun

bat (plural bede)

arm

Middle Dutch

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /bat/

Etymology 1

From Old Dutch *bath, from Proto-West Germanic *baþ.

Noun

bat n

bath

Inflection

Strong neuter noun
	singular	plural
nominative	bat	bāde
accusative	bat	bāde
genitive	bats, bāets, bādes	bāde
dative	bāde	bāden

Descendants

Dutch: bad
Limburgish: baad

Etymology 2

From Old Dutch *bat, *bet, from Proto-Germanic *batiz.

Adverb

bat

better; comparative degree of wel
Synonym: beter

Alternative forms

bet

Descendants

Dutch: bet (still as simplex in Early Modern Dutch, now fossilized in e.g. in betweter (“know-it-all”))

Etymology 3

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

bat

first/third-person singular past indicative of bidden

Further reading

“bat (I)”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
“bat (III)”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
Verwijs, E.; Verdam, J. (1885–1929), “bat (I)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page I
Verwijs, E.; Verdam, J. (1885–1929), “bet (III)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page bet

Middle English

Etymology 1

From Old English batt, from Celtic; influenced by Old French batte.

Alternative forms

batt, batte, bot

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /bat/, /bɔt/

Noun

bat (plural battes or botten)

A mace, bat, or morningstar (blunt weapon)
(rare) A pole or stick used for other
(rare, Late Middle English) A strike or hit from a weapon.
(rare, Late Middle English) A clump of soft material.

Descendants

English: bat, batt
Scots: bat
Yola: bath, bat
→ Irish: bata
→ Scottish Gaelic: bata

References

“bat, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 16 July 2018.

Etymology 2

Noun

bat

(Northern) alternative form of bot (“boat”)

Middle High German

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): (before 13^th CE) /ˈbaːt/

Verb

bāt

alternative form of badete

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *bait.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /bɑːt/

Noun

bāt m

boat

Declension

Strong a-stem:

	singular	plural
nominative	bāt	bātas
accusative	bāt	bātas
genitive	bātes	bāta
dative	bāte	bātum

Occasionally appears as feminine: Strong ō-stem:

	singular	plural
nominative	bāt	bāta, bāte
accusative	bāte	bāta, bāte
genitive	bāte	bāta
dative	bāte	bātum

Descendants

Middle English: bot, bate, bat, bote, boot, boet, boyt, bootte, boote
- English: boat
  - Belizean Creole: boat
  - → Esperanto: boato
  - → Dhivehi: ބޯޓު (bōṭu)
  - → Fijian: boto
  - → Hijazi Arabic: بوت (bōt)
  - → Japanese: ボート (bōto)
  - → Malay: bot
  - → Pitcairn-Norfolk: boet (Norfuk)
  - → Sinhalese: බෝට්‍ටුව (bōṭṭuwa)
  - → Swahili: boti
  - → Scots: boat, bote (compare native bait, bate)
  - → Tahitian: poti
  - Tok Pisin: bot
- Scots: bate, bait
- → Middle Dutch: boot
  - Dutch: boot
    - Afrikaans: boot
- → Middle Low German: bôt, bott
  - Low German: Boot
  - Plautdietsch: Boot
  - → German: Boot
- → North Frisian: böötj
- → Saterland Frisian: Boot
- → West Frisian: boat
- → Catalan: bot
- → Galician: bote
- → Old French: bot
  - → Portuguese: bote
- → Spanish: bote
  - → Cebuano: bote
→ Old Norse: bátr (see there for further descendants)
→ Old French: batel (see there for further descendants)
→ Middle Irish: bát
- Irish: bád
- Scottish Gaelic: bàta
- Manx: baatey
→ Latin: battus
→ Welsh: bad

Old French

Alternative forms

bot, bote

Etymology

Borrowed from Old English bāt and Middle English bot.

Noun

bat oblique singular, m (oblique plural batz, nominative singular batz, nominative plural bat)

boat

References

Godefroy, Frédéric, Dictionnaire de l'ancienne langue française et de tous ses dialectes du IX^e au XV^e siècle (1881) (bat)

Old Irish

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /bad̪/

Verb

bat

inflection of is:
1. third-person plural imperative
2. third-person plural present subjunctive

Mutation

Mutation of *bat*
radical	lenition	nasalization
bat	bat pronounced with /β-/	mbat

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in Old Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Polish

Polish Wikipedia has an article on:

bat

bat

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈbat/
Audio: (file)
Rhymes: -at
Syllabification: bat
Homophones: bad, Bat

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *batъ.

Noun

bat m inan (diminutive bacik)

whip (rod for beating)
Synonym: bicz
(slang) joint (marijuana cigarette)
(in the plural) whipping, lash (type of corporal punishment)
Synonyms: bicie, cięgi, knoty, lanie, wały
(in the plural, literary) reproof (criticizing)
Synonym: cięgi
(in the plural, literary) whipping, licking, beating (heavy defeat or setback)
Synonym: cięgi

Declension

Declension of bat

	singular	plural
nominative	bat	baty
genitive	bata	batów
dative	batowi/batu	batom
accusative	bat	baty
instrumental	batem	batami
locative	bacie	batach
vocative	bacie	baty

Derived terms

adverbs/prepositions

pod batem

Related terms

nouns

verbs

batożyć impf
wybatożyć pf

Etymology 2

Either borrowed from Swedish bat^[1] or Italian batto.^[2]

Noun

bat m inan

bateau (type of boat)

Declension

Declension of bat

	singular	plural
nominative	bat	baty
genitive	batu	batów
dative	batowi	batom
accusative	bat	baty
instrumental	batem	batami
locative	bacie	batach
vocative	bacie	baty

Etymology 3

Borrowed from Thai บาท (bàat), from Sanskrit पाद (pāda).

Noun

bat m animal

baht (currency of Thailand)

Declension

Declension of bat

	singular	plural
nominative	bat	baty
genitive	bata	batów
dative	batowi	batom
accusative	bata	baty
instrumental	batem	batami
locative	bacie	batach
vocative	bacie	baty

References

^ Mirosław Bańko; Lidia Wiśniakowska (2021), “bat”, in Wielki słownik wyrazów obcych, →ISBN
^ Witold Doroszewski, editor (1958–1969), “bat”, in Słownik języka polskiego (in Polish), Warszawa: PWN

Further reading

bat in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
bat in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Romanian

Verb

bat

inflection of bate:
1. first-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
2. third-person plural present indicative

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology 1

From Proto-Slavic *batъ.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /bât/

Noun

bȁt m inan (Cyrillic spelling ба̏т)

Declension

Declension of *bat*
	singular	plural
nominative	bȁt	bàtovi
genitive	bata	batova
dative	batu	batovima
accusative	bat	batove
vocative	bate	batovi
locative	batu	batovima
instrumental	batom	batovima

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish باصدی (bastı) (Turkish bastı), from باصمق (basmak) (Turkish basmak).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /bâːt/

Noun

bȃt m inan (Cyrillic spelling ба̑т)

The tramp of heavy footsteps, as in a military march
- 1939, Čedomir Minderović, Crven je istok i zapad:
  Napred, sve bliže i bliže, / Čuje se koraka bat. / Glas milijona se diže: / Dole fašizam i rat!
  Forward, ever closer and closer, / the tramp of footsteps is heard. / The voice of millions is raised: / Down with fascism and war!
(rare) The tramp of horses’ hooves

Declension

Declension of *bat*
	singular	plural
nominative	bȃt	bátovi
genitive	bata	batova
dative	batu	batovima
accusative	bat	batove
vocative	bate	batovi
locative	batu	batovima
instrumental	batom	batovima

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /bâːt/

Noun

bȃt m inan (Cyrillic spelling ба̑т)

alternative form of bȁht

Declension

Declension of *bat*
	singular	plural
nominative	bat	batovi
genitive	bata	batova
dative	batu	batovima
accusative	bat	batove
vocative	bate	batovi
locative	batu	batovima
instrumental	batom	batovima

References

“bat”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2025
“bat”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2025
“bat”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2025

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from English bat.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈbat/ [ˈbat̪]
Rhymes: -at
Syllabification: bat

Noun

bat m (plural bats)

(baseball) bat (act of batting)
misspelling of baht

Further reading

“bat”, in Diccionario de americanismos [Dictionary of Americanisms] (in Spanish), Association of Academies of the Spanish Language [Spanish: Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española], 2010

Tagalog

Pronunciation

(Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈbat/ [ˈbat̪̚]
Rhymes: -at
Syllabification: bat

Adverb

bat (Baybayin spelling ᜊᜆ᜔)

alternative spelling of ba't

Turkish

Verb

bat

second-person singular imperative of batmak

Tzotzil

Pronunciation

(Zinacantán) IPA^(key): /ɓätʰ/

Verb

bat

(intransitive) to go

References

Laughlin, Robert M. (1975) The Great Tzotzil Dictionary of San Lorenzo Zinacantán. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press.
Laughlin, Robert M. [et al.] (1988) The Great Tzotzil Dictionary of Santo Domingo Zinacantán, vol. I. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press.

Yola

Noun

bat

alternative form of bath
- 1867, “ABOUT AN OLD SOW GOING TO BE KILLED”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 1, page 106:
  Mot earch oan to aar die. Ich mosth kotch a bat.
  But every one to his day. I must catch the bat.

References

Jacob Poole (d. 1827) (before 1828), William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, published 1867, page 106

Yucatec Maya

Noun

bat (plural batoʼob)

hail, hailstone

Zhuang

Pronunciation

(Standard Zhuang) IPA^(key): /paːt˧˥/
Tone numbers: bad⁷
Hyphenation: bat

Etymology 1

From Middle Chinese 缽 (pat).

Noun

bat (Sawndip forms 朳 or 𥐙 or 鈸 or 叭 or 拔, 1957–1982 spelling bat)

basin; bowl
Synonym: (dialectal) angq

Derived terms

Classifier

bat (1957–1982 spelling bat)

basin of; bowl of

Etymology 2

From Middle Chinese 八 (peat, “eight”). Doublet of bet.

Numeral

bat (1957–1982 spelling bat)

eight (used in compounds)
Synonym: bet

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