bib

¹ American  

[bib] / bɪb /

noun

1. a piece of cloth, plastic, or paper that covers the chest and is often tied under the chin of a child to protect the clothing while the child is eating.

2. any similar cloth or part of a garment.

3. the front part of an apron, overalls, or similar protective garment above the waist.

4. Fencing. a piece of canvas attached to the base of the mask, for protecting the throat.

5. bibcock.

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verb (used with or without object)

bibbed, bibbing

1. Archaic. to tipple; drink.

idioms

1. put / stick one's bib in, to interfere.

bib. ² American  

abbreviation

1. (in prescriptions) drink.

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Bib. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. Bible.

2. Biblical.

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bib British  

/ bɪb /

noun

1. a piece of cloth or plastic worn, esp by babies, to protect their clothes while eating

2. the upper part of some aprons, dungarees, etc, that covers the upper front part of the body

3. Also called: pout.   whiting pout.  a light-brown European marine gadoid food fish, Gadus (or Trisopterus ) luscus , with a barbel on its lower jaw

4. short for bibcock

5. informal to interfere

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verb

1. archaic to drink (something); tipple

Other Word Forms

• bibless adjective
• biblike adjective

Etymology

Origin of bib¹

1275–1325; Middle English bibben to drink < Latin bibere

Origin of bib.²

From the Latin word bibe

Explanation

A bib is a small piece of fabric that's tied under a baby's chin to keep food or milk from staining her clothes. If you feed a toddler without using a bib, you'll quickly learn how useful it can be. A baby's bib is just one type — there is also the bib that makes up the top part of overalls or an apron, the section that covers the chest. Sometimes the corresponding part of a bird's body, a patch of color on the chest, is also called a bib. The word stems from the now-obsolete verb bibben, "to drink," which is thought to be imitative of the sound your lips make as they sip liquid.

Example Sentences

Domingo arrives in the club’s lush courtyard garden sporting an olive-colored quilted Moncler padded shirt jacket over black bib Carhartt overalls and a black Valentino T-shirt, with a red neckerchief.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 10, 2026

"Today with bib No.1 I had a lot of pressure but I just tried to enjoy the race and I was fast," Franzoni added.

From Barron's • Jan. 16, 2026

Yes, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Arnold Palmer tucked in a bib and tucked into the haggis, accompanied by neeps and tatties, cute Scottish names for turnips and potatoes, mashed and buttered.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2025

He was a bib overall-wearing peanut farmer who appealed to us on a variety of levels.

From Salon • Jan. 2, 2025

From the clasp on his overall bib hung a blue ribbon.

From "A Long Way from Chicago" by Richard Peck