noun · verb · 14 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.
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈlɪmbəʊ/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:/ˈlɪmboʊ/
Caribbean:/ˈlɪmboː/
rhymes with -ɪmbəʊ
CMU ARPABET:L IH1 M B OW0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A speculative place or state, thought possibly to be on the edge of the bottomless pit of Hell, where the souls of innocent deceased people might exist temporarily until they can enter heaven, specifically those of the saints who died before the advent of Jesus Christ (who occupy the limbo patrum or limbo of the patriarchs or fathers) and those of unbaptized infants (who occupy the limbo infantum or limbo of the infants); (countable) the possible place where each category of souls might exist, regarded separately.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Chiefly preceded by in: any in-between place, or condition or state, of neglect or oblivion which results in deadlock, delay, or some other unresolved status.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: broadly, countable, uncountable
Examples
My passport application has been stuck in bureaucratic limbo for two weeks.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
Jail, prison; (countable) a jail cell or lockup.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, broadly, slang, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
Synonym of Hades or Hell.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: broadly, obsolete, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: Hades or Hell
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
Synonym of pawn (“the state of something being held as security for a loan, or as a pledge”).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: broadly, obsolete, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: pawn
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
A type of antisubmarine mortar installed on naval vessels.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
A competitive dance originating from Trinidad and Tobago in which dancers take turns to cross under a horizontal bar while bending backwards. The bar is lowered with each round, and the competition is won by the dancer who passes under the bar in the lowest position without dislodging it or falling down.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
Alternative letter-case form of limbo (“a type of antisubmarine mortar installed on naval vessels”).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: alt-of
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
verb
Meaning 9
To place (someone or something) in an in-between place, or condition or state, of neglect or oblivion which results in deadlock, delay, or some other unresolved status.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: rare, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
verb
Meaning 10
To dance the limbo (etymology 2, noun etymology 2, noun sense 1).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
11
verb
Meaning 11
Often followed by under: to pass under something, especially while bending backwards.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: also, broadly, figuratively, intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
12
noun
Meaning 12
(theology) in Roman Catholicism, the place of unbaptized but innocent or righteous souls (such as infants and virtuous individuals)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: imaginary place, mythical place, fictitious place
13
noun
Meaning 13
an imaginary place for lost or neglected things
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: imaginary place, mythical place, fictitious place
14
noun
Meaning 14
the state of being disregarded or forgotten
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: oblivion
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: obscurity
History
Etymology
The noun is derived from Middle English limbo, lymbo (“place where innocent souls exist temporarily until they can enter heaven”), from Latin limbō, the ablative singular of limbus (“border, edge; hem; fringe, tassel”) (notably in expressions like in limbō (“in limbo”) and e limbō (“out of limbo”)); further etymology uncertain, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *lemb- (“to hang limply or loosely”), from Proto-Indo-European *leb- (“to hang down loosely (?)”). Doublet of limp. The verb is derived from the noun.
Origin uncertain; possibly an alteration of limber (“bendable, flexible, pliant”) with the ending of the word respelled to represent a Caribbean English pronunciation. It is unclear whether the verb is derived from the noun, or the noun is derived from the verb; the noun is attested slightly earlier.
Across languages
Translations
63 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Armenian:
քավարան
(kʻavaran)
— place where the souls of innocent deceased people exist temporarily until they can enter heaven
Bulgarian:
преддверие на ада
(preddverie na ada)
— place where the souls of innocent deceased people exist temporarily until they can enter heaven
Catalan:
llimbs
— place where the souls of innocent deceased people exist temporarily until they can enter heaven
Chinese Mandarin:
靈薄獄 /灵薄狱
(língbóyù)
— place where the souls of innocent deceased people exist temporarily until they can enter heaven
Czech:
předpeklí
— place where the souls of innocent deceased people exist temporarily until they can enter heaven
Dutch:
limbo
— place where the souls of innocent deceased people exist temporarily until they can enter heaven
Dutch:
limbus
— place where the souls of innocent deceased people exist temporarily until they can enter heaven
Dutch:
voorgeborchte
— place where the souls of innocent deceased people exist temporarily until they can enter heaven
Finnish:
limbus
— place where the souls of innocent deceased people exist temporarily until they can enter heaven
Finnish:
välitila
— place where the souls of innocent deceased people exist temporarily until they can enter heaven
French:
limbes
— place where the souls of innocent deceased people exist temporarily until they can enter heaven
German:
Limbus
— place where the souls of innocent deceased people exist temporarily until they can enter heaven
German:
Vorhölle
— place where the souls of innocent deceased people exist temporarily until they can enter heaven
Hungarian:
limbus
— place where the souls of innocent deceased people exist temporarily until they can enter heaven
Hungarian:
a pokol tornáca
— place where the souls of innocent deceased people exist temporarily until they can enter heaven
Italian:
limbo
— place where the souls of innocent deceased people exist temporarily until they can enter heaven
Japanese:
辺土
(hendo)
— place where the souls of innocent deceased people exist temporarily until they can enter heaven
Japanese:
辺獄
(hengoku)
— place where the souls of innocent deceased people exist temporarily until they can enter heaven
Japanese:
リンボー
(rinbō)
— place where the souls of innocent deceased people exist temporarily until they can enter heaven
Korean:
림보
(rimbo)
— place where the souls of innocent deceased people exist temporarily until they can enter heaven
Korean:
지옥의 변방
(jiog-ui byeonbang)
— place where the souls of innocent deceased people exist temporarily until they can enter heaven
Macedonian:
пре́дворје на пе́колот
(prédvorje na pékolot)
— place where the souls of innocent deceased people exist temporarily until they can enter heaven
Middle English:
lymbo
— place where the souls of innocent deceased people exist temporarily until they can enter heaven
Middle English:
limbus
— place where the souls of innocent deceased people exist temporarily until they can enter heaven
Polish:
otchłań
— place where the souls of innocent deceased people exist temporarily until they can enter heaven
Portuguese:
limbo
— place where the souls of innocent deceased people exist temporarily until they can enter heaven
Russian:
лимб
(limb)
— place where the souls of innocent deceased people exist temporarily until they can enter heaven
Slovak:
limbus
— place where the souls of innocent deceased people exist temporarily until they can enter heaven
Slovak:
predpeklie
— place where the souls of innocent deceased people exist temporarily until they can enter heaven
Spanish:
limbo
— place where the souls of innocent deceased people exist temporarily until they can enter heaven
Welsh:
limbo
— place where the souls of innocent deceased people exist temporarily until they can enter heaven
Catalan:
llimbs
— in-between place, or condition or state, of neglect or oblivion
Czech:
nevyjasněná situace
— in-between place, or condition or state, of neglect or oblivion
Czech:
nejistota
— in-between place, or condition or state, of neglect or oblivion
Dutch:
limbo
— in-between place, or condition or state, of neglect or oblivion
Finnish:
paitsio
— in-between place, or condition or state, of neglect or oblivion
French:
limbes
— in-between place, or condition or state, of neglect or oblivion
German:
Schwebezustand
— in-between place, or condition or state, of neglect or oblivion
Hungarian:
bizonytalanság
— in-between place, or condition or state, of neglect or oblivion
Hungarian:
köztes állapot/helyzet
— in-between place, or condition or state, of neglect or oblivion
Japanese:
リンボ
(rinbo)
— in-between place, or condition or state, of neglect or oblivion
Polish:
próżnia
— in-between place, or condition or state, of neglect or oblivion
Portuguese:
limbo
— in-between place, or condition or state, of neglect or oblivion
Russian:
лимб
(limb)
— in-between place, or condition or state, of neglect or oblivion
Russian:
подве́шенное состоя́ние
(podvéšennoje sostojánije)
— in-between place, or condition or state, of neglect or oblivion
Spanish:
limbo
— in-between place, or condition or state, of neglect or oblivion
Finnish:
Limbo
— type of antisubmarine mortar installed on naval vessels
Bulgarian:
лимбо
(limbo)
— competitive dance in which dancers take turns to cross under a horizontal bar while bending backwards
Chinese Mandarin:
林波舞
(línbōwǔ)
— competitive dance in which dancers take turns to cross under a horizontal bar while bending backwards
Dutch:
limbo
— competitive dance in which dancers take turns to cross under a horizontal bar while bending backwards
Finnish:
limbo
— competitive dance in which dancers take turns to cross under a horizontal bar while bending backwards
French:
limbo
— competitive dance in which dancers take turns to cross under a horizontal bar while bending backwards
Hungarian:
limbó
— competitive dance in which dancers take turns to cross under a horizontal bar while bending backwards
Japanese:
リンボー
(rinbō)
— competitive dance in which dancers take turns to cross under a horizontal bar while bending backwards
Korean:
림보
(rimbo)
— competitive dance in which dancers take turns to cross under a horizontal bar while bending backwards
Marathi:
लिम्बो
(limbo)
— competitive dance in which dancers take turns to cross under a horizontal bar while bending backwards
Portuguese:
limbo
— competitive dance in which dancers take turns to cross under a horizontal bar while bending backwards
Russian:
ли́мбо
(límbo)
— competitive dance in which dancers take turns to cross under a horizontal bar while bending backwards
Welsh:
limbo
— competitive dance in which dancers take turns to cross under a horizontal bar while bending backwards
Finnish:
ajaa paitsioon
— to place (someone or something) in an in-between place, or condition or state, of neglect or oblivion
German:
in der Luft hängen lassen
— to place (someone or something) in an in-between place, or condition or state, of neglect or oblivion
Finnish:
limbota
— to dance the limbo
Finnish:
limbota
— to pass under something, especially while bending backwards
