limbo

See also: Limbo

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlɪmbəʊ/
• IPA^(key): /ˈlɪmboʊ/
• Rhymes: -ɪmbəʊ
• Hyphenation: lim‧bo

Etymology 1

From Latin limbus (“border”) (cognate with limp), notably in the (ablative) expression in limbo (“on the edge”).

Noun

limbo (countable and uncountable, plural limbos)

1. (Roman Catholic theology, since circa 400 A.D.) The place where innocent souls exist temporarily until they can enter heaven, notably those of the saints who died before the advent of Christ (limbus patruum) and those of unbaptized but innocent children (limbus infantum).
2. (by extension, since the 16th century) Any in-between place, state or condition of neglect or oblivion which results in an unresolved status, delay or deadlock.

   My application has been stuck in bureaucratic limbo for two weeks.

Translations

place for innocent souls

• Armenian: քավարան (hy) (kʻavaran)
• Catalan: llimbs (ca) m pl
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 靈薄獄／灵薄狱, 灵薄狱 (língbáoyù)

• Dutch: limbo (nl) n, limbus (nl), vagevuur (nl), voorgeborchte (nl) n
• Finnish: limbus, välitila
• French: limbes (fr) m pl
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• German: Limbus (de) m, Vorhölle (de) f
• Japanese: 辺獄 (へんごく, hengoku), 辺土 (へんど, hendo)
• Korean: 림보 (rimbo), 지옥의 변방 (jiog-ui byanbang)
• Polish: otchłań (pl) f
• Portuguese: limbo (pt) m
• Russian: лимб (ru) m (limb)
• Spanish: limbo (es) m

in-between state

• Catalan: llimbs (ca) m pl
• Finnish: paitsio (fi)
• French: limbes (fr)
• German: Limbo n (rarely used)
• Japanese: リンボ (rinbo)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Polish: próżnia (pl) f
• Portuguese: limbo (pt) m
• Russian: подве́шенное состоя́ние n (podvéšennoje sostojánije), лимб (ru) m (limb)
• Spanish: limbo (es) m

See also

• aftermath
• hell
• paradise
• purgatory

Etymology 2

Word of uncertain West Indian (notably Jamaican) origin, probably an alteration of limber as it is a physical agility test.

Noun

limbo

1. A dance played by taking turns crossing under a horizontal bar or stick. The stick is lowered with each round, and the game is won by the player who passes under the bar in the lowest position.

Translations

dance with bar that is lowered

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 林波舞

• Dutch: limbo (nl) m
• Finnish: limbo (fi)
• French: limbo (fr) m
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Marathi: लिम्बो m (limbo)
• Russian: ли́мбо (ru) m (límbo)

Verb

limbo (third-person singular simple present limbos, present participle limboing, simple past and past participle limboed)

1. To dance in this way.

References

• Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “limbo”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
• Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, Springfield, Massachusetts, G.&C. Merriam Co., 1967

Anagrams

• Mobil

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Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlɪm.boː/
• Hyphenation: lim‧bo

Etymology 1

From Latin in limbō (“on the edge”).

Proper noun

limbo m or n

1. Limbo, the place where innocent souls barred from heaven exist.

   Synonyms: limbus, voorgeborchte

Alternative forms

• Limbo

Noun

limbo m (plural limbo's, diminutive limbootje n)

1. Limbo, in-between place, state or condition of neglect or oblivion which results in an unresolved status, delay or deadlock.

Alternative forms

• Limbo

Etymology 2

Word of uncertain West Indian (possibly Jamaican) origin, recorded since 1956, probably an alteration of limber as it is a physical agility test.

Noun

limbo n (uncountable)

1. limbo, the low-dancing game below a bar

Etymology 3

From a clipping of Limburger +‎ -o.

Noun

limbo m (plural limbo's, diminutive limbootje n)

1. (colloquial) A Limburger, a person from Limburg.

Alternative forms

• Limbo

See also

• Limbabwe

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Finnish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlimbo/, [ˈlimbo̞]
• Hyphenation: lim‧bo

Noun

limbo

1. limbo (dance with bar that is lowered)

Declension

Inflection of limbo (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)
nominative		limbo	limbot
genitive		limbon	limbojen
partitive		limboa	limboja
illative		limboon	limboihin
		singular	plural
nominative		limbo	limbot
accusative	nom.	limbo	limbot
	gen.	limbon
genitive		limbon	limbojen
partitive		limboa	limboja
inessive		limbossa	limboissa
elative		limbosta	limboista
illative		limboon	limboihin
adessive		limbolla	limboilla
ablative		limbolta	limboilta
allative		limbolle	limboille
essive		limbona	limboina
translative		limboksi	limboiksi
abessive		limbotta	limboitta
instructive		—	limboin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of limbo (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative limboni limboni accusative nom. limboni limboni gen. limboni genitive limboni limbojeni partitive limboani limbojani inessive limbossani limboissani elative limbostani limboistani illative limbooni limboihini adessive limbollani limboillani ablative limboltani limboiltani allative limbolleni limboilleni essive limbonani limboinani translative limbokseni limboikseni abessive limbottani limboittani instructive — — comitative — limboineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative limbosi limbosi accusative nom. limbosi limbosi gen. limbosi genitive limbosi limbojesi partitive limboasi limbojasi inessive limbossasi limboissasi elative limbostasi limboistasi illative limboosi limboihisi adessive limbollasi limboillasi ablative limboltasi limboiltasi allative limbollesi limboillesi essive limbonasi limboinasi translative limboksesi limboiksesi abessive limbottasi limboittasi instructive — — comitative — limboinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative limbomme limbomme accusative nom. limbomme limbomme gen. limbomme genitive limbomme limbojemme partitive limboamme limbojamme inessive limbossamme limboissamme elative limbostamme limboistamme illative limboomme limboihimme adessive limbollamme limboillamme ablative limboltamme limboiltamme allative limbollemme limboillemme essive limbonamme limboinamme translative limboksemme limboiksemme abessive limbottamme limboittamme instructive — — comitative — limboinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative limbonne limbonne accusative nom. limbonne limbonne gen. limbonne genitive limbonne limbojenne partitive limboanne limbojanne inessive limbossanne limboissanne elative limbostanne limboistanne illative limboonne limboihinne adessive limbollanne limboillanne ablative limboltanne limboiltanne allative limbollenne limboillenne essive limbonanne limboinanne translative limboksenne limboiksenne abessive limbottanne limboittanne instructive — — comitative — limboinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative limbonsa limbonsa accusative nom. limbonsa limbonsa gen. limbonsa genitive limbonsa limbojensa partitive limboaan limboansa limbojaan limbojansa inessive limbossaan limbossansa limboissaan limboissansa elative limbostaan limbostansa limboistaan limboistansa illative limboonsa limboihinsa adessive limbollaan limbollansa limboillaan limboillansa ablative limboltaan limboltansa limboiltaan limboiltansa allative limbolleen limbollensa limboilleen limboillensa essive limbonaan limbonansa limboinaan limboinansa translative limbokseen limboksensa limboikseen limboiksensa abessive limbottaan limbottansa limboittaan limboittansa instructive — — comitative — limboineen limboinensa

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Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈlim.boː/, [ˈlʲɪmboː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈlim.bo/, [ˈlimbo]

Noun

(deprecated template usage) limbō

1. dative singular of limbus
2. ablative singular of limbus

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Portuguese

Noun

limbo m (plural limbos)

1. (Roman Catholicism) limbo (place for innocent souls)
2. (figurative) limbo (state of neglect or oblivion)
3. (botany) blade (the flat part of a leaf or petal)

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Spanish

Etymology

From Latin limbus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlimbo/ [ˈlĩm.bo]

Noun

limbo m (plural limbos)

1. (Roman Catholic theology) limbo (the place where innocent souls exist)
2. limbo (an in-between place)

   limbo jurídico ― legal limbo

3. (botany) blade, edge
4. (astronomy) limb

Further reading

• Template:R:DRAE 2001