noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/ˈbɹaɪbəɹi/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:B R AY1 B ER0 IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The act of giving an illegal payment (a bribe) to a person in an official position as a means of influencing their decisions.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: venality, corruption, crime
2
noun
Meaning 2
The activity of offering, giving, or accepting such bribes.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: law
Examples
accept bribery
combat bribery
accused of bribery
The official was arrested on charges of bribery.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: bribe
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: venality, corruption, crime
3
noun
Meaning 3
the practice of offering something (usually money) in order to gain an illicit advantage
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: graft
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: felony
Narrower terms: barratry, commercial bribery
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English bribe Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āzios Latin -āriusnom. Latin -ārius Old French -ier Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -ia Old French -ie Old French -eriebor. Middle English -erie English -ery English bribery From bribe + -ery.
Across languages
Translations
80 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Afrikaans:
omkopery
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Arabic:
رَشْوَة
(rašwa)
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Armenian:
կաշառում
(kašaṙum)
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Bulgarian:
подкупване
(podkupvane)
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Bulgarian:
рушветчийство
(rušvetčijstvo)
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Catalan:
suborn
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Chinese Mandarin:
行賄 /行贿
(xínghuì)
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Czech:
úplatkářství
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Danish:
bestikkelse
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Dutch:
omkoperij
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Dutch:
omkoping
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Esperanto:
subaĉetado
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Finnish:
lahjonta
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
French:
corruption
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Galician:
suborno
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
German:
Bestechung
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Greek:
δωροδοκία
(dorodokía)
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Hebrew:
שיחוד
(shikhud)
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Hungarian:
megvesztegetés
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Indonesian:
penyuapan
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Indonesian:
penyogokan
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Irish:
breabaireacht
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Italian:
concussione
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Italian:
corruzione
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Japanese:
賄賂のやり取り
(wáiro no yarítori)
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Japanese:
賄賂
(wairo)
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Khmer:
ការស៊ីសំណូក
(kaa sii sɑmnook)
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Korean:
증회
(jeunghoe)
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Korean:
뇌물
(noemul)
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Latin:
largitio
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Malay:
rasuah
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Māori:
utu whakapati
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Polish:
łapówkarstwo
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Polish:
łapownictwo
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Portuguese:
suborno
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Russian:
взя́точничество
(vzjátočničestvo)
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Slovak:
úplatkárstvo
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Spanish:
soborno
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Spanish:
cohecho
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Spanish:
sobornación
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Spanish:
convoluto
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Swedish:
bestickning
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Swedish:
mutning
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Thai:
อามิสสินจ้าง
(aamít sĭn jâang)
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Turkish:
rüşvet
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Vietnamese:
sự đút lót
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Vietnamese:
sự hối lộ
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Vietnamese:
sự mua chuộc
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Welsh:
llwgrwobrwyaeth
— making of illegal payment to persons in official positions as a means of influencing their decisions
Afrikaans:
omkopery
— giving, offering or accepting bribes
Arabic:
رشوة
— giving, offering or accepting bribes
Armenian:
կաշառակերություն
(kašaṙakerutʻyun)
— giving, offering or accepting bribes
Catalan:
subornar
— giving, offering or accepting bribes
Chinese Mandarin:
受賄 /受贿
(shòuhuì)
— giving, offering or accepting bribes
Danish:
bestikkelse
— giving, offering or accepting bribes
Galician:
subornar
— giving, offering or accepting bribes
Galician:
comprar
— giving, offering or accepting bribes
Galician:
mercar
— giving, offering or accepting bribes
Galician:
untar
— giving, offering or accepting bribes
Greek:
δωροδοκία
(dorodokía)
— giving, offering or accepting bribes
Greek:
δωροληψία
(dorolipsía)
— giving, offering or accepting bribes
Hungarian:
vesztegetés
— giving, offering or accepting bribes
Indonesian:
gratifikasi
— giving, offering or accepting bribes
Indonesian:
penyuapan
— giving, offering or accepting bribes
Irish:
breabaireacht
— giving, offering or accepting bribes
Italian:
corruzione
— giving, offering or accepting bribes
Italian:
concussione
— giving, offering or accepting bribes
Japanese:
収賄
(shūwai)
— giving, offering or accepting bribes
Korean:
증수회
(jeungsuhoe)
— giving, offering or accepting bribes
Māori:
utu whakapati
— giving, offering or accepting bribes
Marathi:
लाचखोरी
(lāckhorī)
— giving, offering or accepting bribes
Romanian:
dare de mită
— giving, offering or accepting bribes
Romanian:
luare de mită
— giving, offering or accepting bribes
Spanish:
soborno
— giving, offering or accepting bribes
Spanish:
cohecho
— giving, offering or accepting bribes
Spanish:
sobornación
— giving, offering or accepting bribes
Spanish:
convoluto
— giving, offering or accepting bribes
Swedish:
bestickning
— giving, offering or accepting bribes
Swedish:
mutbrott
— giving, offering or accepting bribes
Vietnamese:
sự ăn hối lộ
— giving, offering or accepting bribes
