bata

See also: Appendix:Variations of "bata"

Languages (48)

English

---

Afar • Akan • Balinese • Bangi • Basque • Butuanon • Cebuano • Central Bikol • Chavacano • Chichewa • Crimean Tatar • Dibabawon Manobo • Ede Idaca • Fijian • Galician • Garo • Higaonon • Hiligaynon • Iban • Igbo • Indonesian • Irish • Jamamadí • Javanese • Kabuverdianu • Makasae • Makasar • Maltese • Maranao • Marshallese • Old English • Old Javanese • Polish • Portuguese • Scottish Gaelic • Serbo-Croatian • Shona • Sotho • Spanish • Sundanese • Swahili • Tagalog • Ternate • Tok Pisin • Tonga (Zambia) • Yogad • Yoruba

---

Page categories

English

Bata drums (from left: Okónkolo, Iyá, Itótele)

Alternative forms

• batá, bàtá

Etymology

From Yoruba bàtá.

Noun

bata (plural bata)

1. A ceremonial double-headed drum played in triplet in the religion of santería, especially in Cuba and Puerto Rico, originally from the Yoruba of Nigeria.
   • 1990 October 28, Paul Simon, “The Rhythm of the Saints”, in The Coast, Warner Bros.:

     Two guitars, bata, bass drum and tambourine.

   • 2019, Marlon James, Black Leopard, Red Wolf, Hamish Hamilton, page 283:

     Five drummers in front setting the dance—three beating barrel drums, a fourth beating a double-skin bata, and the fifth beating four small bata tied together.

Anagrams

• AABT, ABTA

Afar

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /baˈta/ [bʌˈtʌ]
• Hyphenation: ba‧ta

Noun

batá f

1. doum fruit

References

• Mohamed Hassan Kamil (2015), L’afar: description grammaticale d’une langue couchitique (Djibouti, Erythrée et Ethiopie)‎^[1], Paris: Université Sorbonne Paris Cité (doctoral thesis)

Akan

Verb

bata

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Balinese

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ba.tə/
• Rhymes: -atə
• Hyphenation: ba‧ta

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Old Javanese bata (“brick; wall”).

Noun

bata (Balinese script ᬩᬢ)

1. brick

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Old Javanese bhaṭa (“soldier; warrior”), from Sanskrit भट (bhaṭa, “a mercenary, hired soldier, warrior, combatant; a servant, slave”).

Noun

bata (Balinese script ᬪᬝ)

1. servant
2. soldier

Further reading

• “bata”, in Balinese–Indonesian Dictionary [Kamus Bahasa Bali–Indonesia] (in Balinese), Denpasar, Indonesia: The Linguistic Center of Bali Province [Balai Bahasa Provinsi Bali].

Bangi

Verb

bata

1. to climb

Basque

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bata/ [ba.t̪a]
• Rhymes: -ata, -a
• Hyphenation: ba‧ta

Etymology 1

From bat (“one, some”) + -a (definite article).

Numeral

bata

1. absolutive singular of bat (“one”)

Pronoun

bata (indefinite)

1. one, someone

Usage notes

• Southern dialects tend to use this form in all cases rather than bat.
• When used in coordination with bestea (“other, another”), the indefinite form isn't used.

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
	inan	batean, baten	batean	batzuetan		bakoitzean	bakoitzean
locative		bateko	bateko	batzuetako		bakoitzeko	bakoitzeko
allative	anim	batengana	batarengana	batzuengana		bakoitzengana	bakoitzarengana
	inan	batera	batera	batzuetara		bakoitzera	bakoitzera
terminative	anim	batenganaino	batarenganaino	batzuenganaino		bakoitzenganaino	bakoitzarenganaino
	inan	bateraino	bateraino	batzuetaraino		bakoitzeraino	bakoitzeraino
directive	anim	batenganantz	batarenganantz	batzuenganantz		bakoitzenganantz	bakoitzarenganantz
	inan	baterantz	baterantz	batzuetarantz		bakoitzerantz	bakoitzerantz
destinative	anim	batenganako	batarenganako	batzuenganako		bakoitzenganako	bakoitzarenganako
	inan	baterako	baterako	batzuetarako		bakoitzerako	bakoitzerako
ablative	anim	batengandik	batarengandik	batzuengandik		bakoitzengandik	bakoitzarengandik
	inan	batetik	batetik	batzuetatik		bakoitzetik	bakoitzetik

Derived terms

• bata bestearen gainka

Etymology 2

Etymology tree

French ouatebor.

Spanish batabor.

Basque bata

Borrowed from Spanish bata (“dressing gown”).

Noun

bata inan

1. dressing gown, robe

Declension

Declension of bata (inan a-stem)

	indefinite	singular	plural	proximal plural
absolutive	bata	bata	batak	batok
ergative	batak	batak	batek	batok
dative	batari	batari	batei	batoi
genitive	bataren	bataren	baten	baton
comitative	batarekin	batarekin	batekin	batokin
causative	batarengatik	batarengatik	batengatik	batongatik
benefactive	batarentzat	batarentzat	batentzat	batontzat
instrumental	bataz	bataz	batez	batotaz
inessive	batatan	batan	batetan	batotan
locative	batatako	batako	batetako	batotako
allative	batatara	batara	batetara	batotara
terminative	batataraino	bataraino	batetaraino	batotaraino
directive	batatarantz	batarantz	batetarantz	batotarantz
destinative	batatarako	batarako	batetarako	batotarako
ablative	batatatik	batatik	batetatik	batotatik
partitive	batarik	—	—	—
prolative	batatzat	—	—	—

Further reading

• “bata”, in Orotariko Euskal Hiztegia [General Basque Dictionary], Euskaltzaindia, 1987–2005

Butuanon

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *bataq.

Noun

bata

1. child

Cebuano

Etymology 1

Etymology tree

Proto-Austronesian *bataq

Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *bataq

Cebuano bata

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *bataq, from Proto-Austronesian *bataq.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbataʔ/ [ˈbaː.t̪aʔ]
• Hyphenation: ba‧ta

Noun

batà (Badlit spelling ᜊᜆ)

1. child

   Synonym: bagtos

2. juvenile; young
3. sprout
4. protégé of someone of higher rank

   Synonym: bata-bata

5. (colloquial) mistress

   Synonyms: kabit, kerida

Adjective

batà (Badlit spelling ᜊᜆ)

1. young

   Antonym: tigulang

Verb

batà

1. to spend someone's early years in; to spend childhood years in
2. to grow up by or in an area or town

Derived terms

• bata sa tiyan
• bata-bata (“bodyguard; right-hand man; protegé; younger”)
• bata-bataon (“childish”)
• batan-on (“young; youthful”)
• batang babaye (“girl”)
• batang gamay (“toddler”)
• batang lalaki (“boy”)
• batang linti (“tough guy”)
• batang masuso (“infant”)
• bataon
• bataot (“childish”)
• binata (“acting like a child; to act like a child”)
• kabata (“childhood friend”)
• kabataan (“children”)
• kabatan-on (“childhood days”)
• kabatan-onan
• pakabata

Etymology 2

Etymology tree

French ouatebor.

Spanish batabor.

Cebuano bata

Borrowed from Spanish bata.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbata/ [ˈbaː.t̪a]
• Hyphenation: ba‧ta

Noun

bata

1. woman's nightgown

Related terms

• bata debanyo
• bathrobe

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbata/ [ˈbaː.t̪a]
• Hyphenation: ba‧ta

Verb

báta (Badlit spelling ᜊᜆ)

1. to divide into equal parts or bundles to be sold

Derived terms

• batabata
• to estimate the quantity of something

Further reading

• Fr. Juan Felis de la Encarnación (1851), Diccionario bisaya-español‎^[2] (overall work in Cebuano and Spanish), Amigos del País
• “bata” in Pinoy Dictionary, Cyberspace.ph, 2010-2022.

Anagrams

• abat, abta, atab, baat

Central Bikol

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /baˈtaʔ/ [baˈtaʔ]
• Hyphenation: ba‧ta

Noun

batâ (Basahan spelling ᜊᜆ)

1. stink; stench; reek

   Synonym: bangog

   Antonym: hamot

Derived terms

• mabata
• magbata

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbataʔ/ [ˈba.taʔ]
• Hyphenation: ba‧ta

Noun

batà (Basahan spelling ᜊᜆ)

1. (Naga, informal) lover; partner

   Synonyms: ilusyon, piday, katrato

Derived terms

• bataon
• magbata

Etymology 3

Etymology tree

French ouatebor.

Spanish batabor.

Central Bikol bata

Borrowed from Spanish bata.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbata/ [ˈba.ta]
• Hyphenation: ba‧ta

Noun

báta (Basahan spelling ᜊᜆ)

1. robe

Related terms

• bata de banyo
• sotana

Etymology 4

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbataʔ/ [ˈba.taʔ]
• Hyphenation: ba‧ta

Interjection

batà (Basahan spelling ᜊᜆ)

1. alternative form of atà (“I told you”)

Chavacano

Etymology 1

Inherited from Spanish bata (“robe”).

Pronunciation

• (Zamboanga) IPA^(key): /ˈbata/ [ˈba.ta]
• Rhymes: -a, -ta
• Hyphenation: ba‧ta

Noun

báta

1. house gown; dressing gown

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Cebuano bata, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *bataq, from Proto-Austronesian *bataq.

Pronunciation

• (Cavite) IPA^(key): /ˈbatàʔ/ [ˈbatàʔ]
• (Zamboanga) IPA^(key): /ˈbatàʔ/ [ˈbatàʔ]
• Rhymes: -aʔ
• Hyphenation: ba‧ta

Noun

batà

1. (Zamboangueño) child

   Synonyms: chiquillo, (Zamboangueño) criatura, (Ternateño, Caviteño) niño, (Zamboangueño) [Term?]

Chichewa

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɓá.ta/

Noun

báta class 5

1. quietness

Crimean Tatar

Noun

bata (Northern dialect)

1. little brother

Usage notes

• Corresponding words in standard Crimean Tatar: kadâ, qardaş.

Declension

Declension of bata

nominative	bata
genitive	batanıñ
dative	batağa
accusative	batanı
locative	batada
ablative	batadan

Synonyms

• mata, qardaş

Dibabawon Manobo

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Austronesian *bataq

Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *bataq

Dibabawon Manobo bata

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *bataq, from Proto-Austronesian *bataq.

Noun

batà

1. child; baby

Ede Idaca

Etymology

Cognates include Edo ibata and Yoruba bàtà

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bà.tà/

Noun

bàtà

1. shoe

References

• Baloubi, Désiré (2005), The Morphophonemics of the Idaacha dialect of Yoruba‎^[3], Charlotte, North Carolina: Conquering Books, →DOI, →ISBN, page 41

Fijian

Etymology

Borrowed from English butter.

Noun

bata

1. butter (soft foodstuff made from milk)

   Au vinakata na bata ena madrai.

   I want butter on my bread.

2. (by extension) margarine (spread used as a substitute for butter)

   Na bata ni veisitoa e levu kina na waiwai.

   Store-bought margarine contains a lot of oil.

References

• Gatty, Ronald (2009), “bata”, in Fijian–English Dictionary‎^[4], Suva, Fiji: Ronald Gatty, →ISBN, page 15

Galician

Verb

bata

1. inflection of bater:
   1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
   2. third-person singular imperative

Garo

Verb

bata

1. to cross, to pass

Higaonon

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Austronesian *bataq

Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *bataq

Higaonon bata

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *bataq, from Proto-Austronesian *bataq.

Noun

bata

1. child
2. offspring

Hiligaynon

Etymology 1

Etymology tree

French ouatebor.

Spanish batabor.

Hiligaynon bata

Borrowed from Spanish bata.

Noun

báta

1. nightshirt, nightgown

Etymology 2

Etymology tree

Proto-Austronesian *bataq

Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *bataq

Hiligaynon bata

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *bataq, from Proto-Austronesian *bataq.

Noun

batà

1. child, baby, boy, girl
2. son, daughter
3. servant

Verb

batà

1. to give birth

Etymology 3

Noun

batâ

1. uncle

Iban

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [bata]
• Hyphenation: ba‧ta

Noun

bata

1. brick:
   1. a hardened rectangular block of mud, clay etc., used for building.

Igbo

Etymology

From ba (“enter”) +‎ -tá (“towards”).

Verb

batá

1. to enter, to come in.

Indonesian

Pronunciation

• (Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /ˈbata/ [ˈba.t̪a]
• Rhymes: -ata
• Syllabification: ba‧ta

Etymology 1

Inherited from Malay bata (“brick”). Cognate of Balinese bata (“brick”), Javanese ꦧꦠ (bata, “brick, brick wall; cube”), Old Javanese bata (“brick; wall”).

Noun

bata

1. brick

   Synonym: batu bata

2. brick, something shapes like a brick

Derived terms

• bata api
• bata biru
• bata emas
• bata garam
• bata mentah
• bata ringan
• batu bata

Etymology 2

Probably from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *bataq, from Proto-Austronesian *bataq. Compare to Tagalog bata (“child”).

Noun

bata

1. marriage between siblings and siblings at the same time (clarification of this definition is needed)

Further reading

• “bata”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016

Irish

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle English batte (“bat”), from Old French batte (“pestle”), from the verb batre (“to beat”), from Latin battuō, perhaps of Celtic origin.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbˠɑt̪ˠə/, /ˈbˠat̪ˠə/

Noun

bata m (genitive singular bata, nominative plural bataí)

1. stick
2. baton
3. gust (of wind)
4. measure (of drink)

Declension

Declension of bata (fourth declension)

bare forms singular plural nominative bata bataí vocative a bhata a bhataí genitive bata bataí dative bata bataí forms with the definite article singular plural nominative an bata na bataí genitive an bhata na mbataí dative leis an mbata don bhata leis na bataí

Derived terms

• bata túise (“joss-stick”)
• bata cogaidh (“knapweed”)
• bata druma (“drumstick”)

Mutation

Mutated forms of bata

radical	lenition	eclipsis
bata	bhata	mbata

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

Further reading

• Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “bata”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Dinneen, Patrick S. (1927), “bata”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla [Irish and English Dictionary], 2nd edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 84; reprinted with additions 1996, →ISBN
• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977), “bata”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla [Irish–English Dictionary], Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959), “bata”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “bata”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013–2026

Jamamadí

Etymology 1

Adjective

bata

1. (Banawá) rotten

Etymology 2

Verb

bata

1. (Banawá) to pick

References

• 2007. The UCLA Phonetics Lab Archive. Los Angeles, CA: UCLA Department of Linguistics.

Javanese

Romanization

bata

1. romanization of ꦧꦠ

Kabuverdianu

Etymology

Inherited from Portuguese bata.

Noun

bata

1. uniform
2. apron

References

• Gonçalves, Manuel (2015), Capeverdean Creole-English dictionary (overall work in English), Mili Mila, →ISBN

Makasae

Noun

bata

1. stalk

Makasar

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbata/, [ˈɓa.t̪ʰa]
• Hyphenation: ba‧ta

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Malay bata (“brick”).

Noun

bata (Lontara spelling ᨅᨈ or 𑻤𑻦, definite bataya)

1. brick
2. a brick wall; a rampart

Derived terms

affixations

• aʼbata
• pabata
• paʼbatàng

compounds

• bata-butta

Etymology 2

Related to Etymology 1.

Noun

bata (Lontara spelling ᨅᨈ or 𑻤𑻦, definite bataya)

1. a stack (e.g., of wood, dry coconut leaves, or rolls of laundry)
2. a pack (e.g., of firecrackers)

Derived terms

affixations

• aʼbata
• bata-bata
• sibata

Etymology 3

Borrowed from Malay bata-bata (“hesitant; in doubt”).

Adjective

bata (Lontara spelling ᨅᨈ or 𑻤𑻦)

1. hesitant; not daring; in doubt

   Bataʼ anciniki kabaranianna attete ri kawaʼ

   I am hesitant upon seeing his courage to walk on a copper wire.

   Punna batako teako aʼlampài

   If you are hesitant, you should not go.

   Riolomako ka bataʼ inakke

   You go first because I am not daring.

2. suspicious; afraid that something will or will not happen

   Bataʼ tena nagannaʼ paʼbayarakku

   I am afraid that the money I pay is not enough.

Derived terms

affixations

• aʼbata
• aʼbata-bata
• bata-bata
• bata-batài

compounds

• lompo bata-bata

Further reading

• Cense, A. A. (1979), Makassaars-Nederlands woordenboek [Makasar-Dutch dictionary], 's-Gravenhage: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN

Maltese

Root
b-t-j‎ (suffering)
3 terms

Etymology

Borrowed from Sicilian patiri, from Vulgar Latin *patīre, from Latin patī. An early borrowing, as attested by the initial b-; compare biċċa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbaː.ta/
• Homophones: bagħta, bagħatha (except archaically)
• Rhymes: -aːta

Verb

bata (imperfect jbati, verbal noun tbatija)

1. to suffer
   • 1970, Anton Buttigieg, “It-Tallab”, in Fl-Arena:

     Wara l-bibien,
     fit-tul tat-toroq twal,
     batejt
     il-għeja
     il-qtigħ ta’ qalb,
     batejt fuq kollox il-mistħija;
     iżda ġarrabt ukoll
     il-ferħ u l-għaxqa
     li kull tallab iħoss
     x’ħin jasal wisq għajjien bil-ħorġa f’idu
     bil-ħobż għand ommu mġewħa.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Conjugation

Conjugation of bata (Form III, final-weak)

positive forms
		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
perfect	m	batejt	batejt	bata	batejna	batejtu	batew
	f			batiet
imperfect	m	nbati	tbati	jbati	nbatu	tbatu	jbatu
	f			tbati
imperative			bati			batu
negative forms
		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
perfect	m	batejtx	batejtx	batiex	batejniex	batejtux	batewx
	f			batietx
imperfect	m	nbatix	tbatix	jbatix	nbatux	tbatux	jbatux
	f			tbatix
imperative			tbatix			tbatux

Maranao

Noun

bata

1. concrete, cement

Marshallese

Etymology

Borrowed from English father.

Pronunciation

• (phonetics) IPA^(key): [pˠɑːdˠɑ], (enunciated) [pˠɑ tˠɑ]
• (phonemic) IPA^(key): /pˠæɰtˠæɰ/
• Bender phonemes: {bahtah}

Noun

bata (construct batain) (alienable)

1. (Christianity, chiefly Roman Catholicism) priest, father

   Bata in Amedka men raņe.

   Those are American priests.

Verb

bata (intransitive)

1. (Christianity, chiefly Roman Catholicism) to become a priest, to serve as a priest

   Ebata.

   He's become a priest.

References

• Abo, Takaji; Bender Byron W.; Capelle, Alfred; DeBrum, Tony (2009–), “bata”, in Marshallese–English Online Dictionary‎^[5]

Old English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɑː.tɑ/

Noun

bāta

1. genitive/nominative/accusative plural of bāt

Old Javanese

Etymology

Unknown, probably inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *buRtaq (“earth, soil, mud”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ba.ta/
• Rhymes: -ta
• Homophones: bata, bhaṭa
• Hyphenation: ba‧ta

Noun

bata

1. brick

   Synonyms: aśmawiṣṭaka, bata, rimbag, iṣṭakā, wiṣṭaka

2. wall

   Synonyms: āwaraṇa, bata, kaṇṭa, kuṭa, lalayan, laleyan, leleyan, pacira, parigi, sarisig, tambak, tambĕṅ, taraṅ, tarib, tawiṅ, tawuṅ, tĕruṅ

Derived terms

• abata
• abata-bata
• ambata
• bataṅ
• pabata

Descendants

• > Javanese: bata (inherited)
• >? Balinese: bata
• >? Malay: bata
  • > Indonesian: bata (inherited)
  • → Iban: bata
  • → Maranao: bata

Further reading

• "bata" in P.J. Zoetmulder with the collaboration of S.O. Robson, Old Javanese-English Dictionary. 's-Gravenhage: M. Nijhoff, 1982.

Polish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈba.ta/
• Rhymes: -ata
• Syllabification: ba‧ta

Noun

bata m

1. genitive singular of bat

Portuguese

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈba.tɐ/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈba.tɐ/

• Rhymes: -atɐ
• Hyphenation: ba‧ta

Etymology 1

Noun

bata f (plural batas)

1. white coat

   Synonym: jaleco

   • 1995, José Saramago, Ensaio sobre a cegueira, Caminho, page 26:

     […] depois levantou-se, despiu a bata em movimentos cansados, lentos.

     […] next he got up and took off his white coat with tired, slow movements.

2. alternative form of boitatá

Etymology 2

Verb

bata

1. inflection of bater:
   1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
   2. third-person singular imperative

Further reading

• “bata”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “bata”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle English batte, from Old French batte. Akin to Irish bata.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpaʰtə/

Noun

bata m (nominative plural bataichean)

1. a staff, a walking stick

Serbo-Croatian

Noun

bata (Cyrillic spelling бата)

1. genitive singular of bat

Shona

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-jípata.

Verb

-bátá (infinitive kubátá)

1. hold, grasp
2. touch

Sotho

Verb

bata

1. to be cold

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbata/ [ˈba.t̪a]
• Rhymes: -ata
• Syllabification: ba‧ta

Etymology 1

Borrowed from French ouate.

Noun

bata f (plural batas)

1. dressing gown, robe
2. lab coat
3. smock

Derived terms

• bata de baño
• bata de cola
• bata de maternidad
• batero
• batón

Related terms

• batín
• guata

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Tagalog bata (or from the same word in other Philippine languages, such as Cebuano bata, Hiligaynon bata, etc).

Noun

bata m (plural batas)

1. (Philippines) child

Etymology 3

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

bata

1. inflection of batir:
   1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
   2. third-person singular imperative

Further reading

• “bata”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025

Sundanese

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /baˈta/

Noun

bata (Sundanese spelling ᮘᮒ)

1. brick (a hardened rectangular block of mud, clay etc., used for building, paving, or masonry.)
2. A unit of area equivalent to a square tumbak or five-hundredth of a bahu, roughly 14 square meters

Further reading

• 'BATA', in Coolsma, S (1913), Soendaneesch-Hollandsch Woordenboek (in Dutch), Leiden: A.W. Sijthoff's Uitgeversmaatschappij
• Volksalmanak Soenda XII (in Sundanese), Bale Poestaka (Balai Pustaka), 1930, II. Oekoeran Djeung Timbangan

Swahili

bata

Etymology

Borrowed from Arabic بَطّ (baṭṭ), بَطَّة (baṭṭa).

Pronunciation

• Audio (Kenya):

  (file)

Noun

bata class V (plural mabata class VI)

1. duck (aquatic bird of the family Anatidae)

Derived terms

• bata bukini (“goose”)
• bata mzinga (“turkey”)

Tagalog

Etymology 1

Etymology tree

Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *bataq

Proto-Indo-European *wet-

Proto-Indo-European *-os

Proto-Indo-European *wétos

Proto-Indo-European *-ós

Proto-Indo-European *wetsós

Proto-Indo-Iranian *watsás

Proto-Indo-Aryan *watsás

Sanskrit वत्स (vatsa)bor.?

Sanskrit बटु (baṭu)bor.?

Tagalog bata

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *bataq, or possibly borrowed from Sanskrit वत्स (vatsa, “child, offspring”) or बटु (baṭu, “boy, lad, youth”). Compare Tausug bata'.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈbataʔ/ [ˈbaː.t̪ɐʔ]
• Rhymes: -ataʔ
• Syllabification: ba‧ta

Noun

batà (Baybayin spelling ᜊᜆ)

1. child; kid

   Synonyms: paslit, bulilit

   • 2020, Ervin Santiago, “Frankie tinawag na ‘KSP at miserableng bata’ ng basher: Be like your Ate KC!”, in Bandera‎^[6], archived from the original on 14 December 2024:

     WALANG patumanggang tinawag ng basher si Frankie Pangilinan na miserableng bata na uhaw sa atensyon.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

2. follower; supporter
3. protégé
4. (colloquial) sweetheart; boyfriend or girlfriend

   Synonyms: kasintahan, katipan, kasuyo, (male) nobyo, (female) nobya, (slang) siyota, (slang) jowa

5. (colloquial) mistress; paramour

   Synonyms: kaapid, kabit, kalaguyo

Derived terms

• atab
• bata-bataan
• batang hamog
• batang kalye
• batang pulot
• batang tapon
• bumata
• isip-bata
• kababata
• kabata
• kabataan
• lider-kabataan
• magbata-bataan
• magloob-bata
• magpabata
• magpakabata
• noong bata pa si Sabel
• pabatain
• pagkabata
• pagloobang-bata
• pagpapabata
• pambata
• patay kang bata ka

See also

• anak
• balubata
• siyota
• talubata

Adjective

batà (Baybayin spelling ᜊᜆ)

1. young
2. junior; younger
3. childish; childlike

Etymology 2

Etymology tree

French ouatebor.

Spanish batabor.

Tagalog bata

Borrowed from Spanish bata, borrowed from French ouate.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈbata/ [ˈbaː.t̪ɐ]
• Rhymes: -ata
• Syllabification: ba‧ta

Noun

bata (Baybayin spelling ᜊᜆ)

1. house gown; dressing gown
2. robe (loose, outer garment)
3. (strictly) bathrobe

   Synonym: bata de-banyo

Derived terms

• bata de-banyo
• batang pantulong
• magbata

Etymology 3

Possibly borrowed from Sanskrit वठ् (vaṭh, “to be able”).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /baˈta/ [bɐˈt̪a]
• Rhymes: -a
• Syllabification: ba‧ta

Noun

batá (Baybayin spelling ᜊᜆ)

1. ability to endure pain, hardship, etc.

   Synonyms: tiis, tiyaga, agwanta, kawasa, pasensiya

Derived terms

• batahin
• bathin
• bumata
• di-mabata
• ipabata
• mabata
• magbata
• magpabata
• mapagbata
• pagbabata

Further reading

• “bata”, in KWF Diksiyonaryo ng Wikang Filipino, Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino, 2025
• “bata”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, 2018
• Zorc, R. David; San Miguel, Rachel (1993), Tagalog Slang Dictionary, Manila: De La Salle University Press, →ISBN, page 16
• Blust, Robert; Trussel, Stephen; et al. (2023) “*bataq”, in the CLDF dataset from The Austronesian Comparative Dictionary (2010–), →DOI

Anagrams

• taba, abat, baat

Ternate

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈba.ta]

Verb

bata

1. (stative) to be spotted

Conjugation

Conjugation of bata

		singular	plural
			inclusive	exclusive
1st person		tobata	fobata	mibata
2nd person		nobata	nibata
3rd person	masculine	obata	ibata yobata (archaic)
	feminine	mobata
	neuter	ibata

References

• Rika Hayami-Allen (2001), A descriptive study of the language of Ternate, the northern Moluccas, Indonesia, University of Pittsburgh

Tok Pisin

Etymology 1

From English butter.

Noun

bata

1. butter

Derived terms

• bata prut

Etymology 2

Unclear; probably from English betel

Noun

bata

1. betel

   Synonym: daka

See also

• buai

References

• Volker, C. A. (general editor), et al. (2008), Papua New Guinea Tok Pisin English Dictionary, Oxford University Press in association with Wantok Niuspepa, →ISBN, page 7

Tonga (Zambia)

Noun

bata class 2

1. Alternative form of bataata (“father”).

Yogad

Adjective

batá

1. wet

Yoruba

Alternative forms

• ibàtà (Ọwọ)

Etymology 1

A shortening of sálúbàtà (“sandals”), ultimately from Hausa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bà.tà/

Noun

bàtà

1. shoe

Etymology 2

Bàtá mẹ́ta

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bà.tá/

Noun

bàtá

1. batá drum, a kind of drum sacred to the orisha Ṣàngó, it is one of the 4 families of drums (ìlù) among the Yoruba.

Derived terms

• alubàtá (“bàtá drummer”)

Descendants

• → English: bata
• → Portuguese: batá
• → Spanish: batá
• → Nupe: bàǹtá