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
Example Sentences
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 years, said Avi Green, former director of MassVOTE, the nonpartisan voter education organization, Galvin hindered efforts to get fully bilingual ballots for Chinese-American voters. 
Mark Shanahan, BostonGlobe.com, 27 Aug. 2022 Both the hotline and website are bilingual in English and Spanish. Susan Dunne, Hartford Courant, 5 Aug. 2022 This summer, Hillsboro School District’s bilingual enrichment program is serving nearly 100 pre-K students, doubling last summer’s early learner enrollment. oregonlive, 9 July 2022 But while Univision is eying a global launch only in Spanish, Telemundo is leaning into the U.S. audience that is more bilingual, and betting that its parent company can help turbocharge that growth. Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 May 2022 Known for her role as the titular character in Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye, Bray is an actress who was born Deaf but is bilingual in both English and ASL. Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE.com, 13 Mar. 2022 The stories and score are bilingual, but live translations are projected onstage in both English and Spanish. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Aug. 2022 Lenoir and Jackson described their daughter as a sweet, loving, adventurous young woman who loves to cook and is bilingual. Nicquel Terry Ellis, CNN, 25 Aug. 2022 There’s also research that suggests being bilingual can delay the onset symptoms of dementia, adding to the benefits of learning a new language to keep your brain active and promote healthy aging. Fortune, 11 Aug. 2022 See More
Mark Shanahan, BostonGlobe.com, 27 Aug. 2022 Both the hotline and website are bilingual in English and Spanish. Susan Dunne, Hartford Courant, 5 Aug. 2022 This summer, Hillsboro School District’s bilingual enrichment program is serving nearly 100 pre-K students, doubling last summer’s early learner enrollment. oregonlive, 9 July 2022 But while Univision is eying a global launch only in Spanish, Telemundo is leaning into the U.S. audience that is more bilingual, and betting that its parent company can help turbocharge that growth. Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 May 2022 Known for her role as the titular character in Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye, Bray is an actress who was born Deaf but is bilingual in both English and ASL. Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE.com, 13 Mar. 2022 The stories and score are bilingual, but live translations are projected onstage in both English and Spanish. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Aug. 2022 Lenoir and Jackson described their daughter as a sweet, loving, adventurous young woman who loves to cook and is bilingual. Nicquel Terry Ellis, CNN, 25 Aug. 2022 There’s also research that suggests being bilingual can delay the onset symptoms of dementia, adding to the benefits of learning a new language to keep your brain active and promote healthy aging. Fortune, 11 Aug. 2022 See More 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
Kids Definition
bilingual
adjective
bi·lin·gual ˌbī-ˈliŋ-gwəl
-gyə-wəl
1
: using or expressed in two languages
a bilingual dictionary
2
: able to speak two languages