Etymology: < Old French, Middle French rubebe (13th cent.), rebebe (13th cent.), Middle French ribebe (1373), all denoting the type of musical instrument < Arabic rabāb rebab n. Compare Old Occitan ribeba (13th cent.), and (probably via French) Italian †ribeba , †rubeba (early 14th cent.), Middle Dutch rebebe . Slightly earlier currency (in sense 2) is implied by ribibour n. Compare also earlier ribible n., and also rebec n., rebab n.Sense 1 (apparently found only in English) probably shows an extended use of sense 2, perhaps on account of the instrument being perceived as having a shrill sound. Compare also rebeck n.¹, and ribible n. 2; it is perhaps possible that ribibe (and ribible ) in quot. c1405 at sense 1 may result from substitution for the synonym rebec n. in a passage where rebeck n.¹ was in fact intended; it is probable that both Skelton and Jonson (and hence later authors) took the word from Chaucer. However, the occurrence in quot. ?a1450 at ribible n. 2 perhaps argues against this. For comparison of the sound of a rebec with a woman's voice compare a couplet from an undated poem quoted in Du Cange at Baudosa (Quidam rebecam arcuabant Muliebrem vocem confingentes ‘some were playing the rebec, making a sound like a woman's voice’), although there is apparently no suggestion here of a shrill sound. A connection of this sense with Arabic rabība foster daughter, stepdaughter, foster mother (not related to rabāb rebab n.) seems less likely.

Etymology: < ribibe n.