BB

¹ American  

[bee-bee] / ˈbiˌbi /

noun

1. a size of shot, 0.18 inch (0.46 centimeter) in diameter, fired from an air rifle or BB gun.

2. Also called BB shot.  shot of this size.

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BB ² American  

1. a quality rating for a corporate or municipal bond, lower than BBB and higher than B.

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bb. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. ball bearing.

2. Baseball. base on balls; bases on balls.

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B/B ⁴ American  

1. bottled in bond.

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b.b. ⁵ American  

abbreviation

1. bail bond.

2. baseboard.

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B.B. ⁶ American  

abbreviation

1. bail bond.

2. Blue Book.

3. B'nai B'rith.

4. Bureau of the Budget.

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BB ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. Boys' Brigade

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symbol

1. double black: denoting a very soft lead

bb ² British  

abbreviation

1. Barbados

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Usage

What else does bb mean? In text messages and online, bb can be short for baby, especially as it's used as a term of endearment for significant others or friends. In this sense, it can sometimes be pronounced as [bey-bee]. Bb can also be short for quite a few other things, including basketball, bye-bye, the pellets of a BB gun, and some NSFW applications.

Etymology

Origin of BB

An Americanism dating back to 1870–75

Example Sentences

The police built their case against Omar Benguit around the testimony of a drug addict, who we are calling BB for legal reasons.

From BBC • Feb. 16, 2026

Below BBB starts at BB, which is junk.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 7, 2025

Credit rating firms were debating where to place the transaction within the BB to CCC range usually deemed junk bonds, according to a Bloomberg report from last month about the potential offering.

From Barron's • Oct. 14, 2025

BlackBerry BB 2.31%increase; green up pointing triangle is counting on its automotive software business to power a turnaround of the onetime smartphone pioneer.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 1, 2025

There had been that time with the boy and the BB gun.

From "Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures" by Kate DiCamillo