Dictionary

buy en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /baɪ/
• [bɑj] (British, Southern, Standard)
• bī
• (US) audio
• [baɪ] (Canada)
• [bəj] (dialectal)
• [baɪ] (Received-Pronunciation, US)
• [bɑɪ] (Australia)
• (UK) audio

Etymology

From Middle English byen, from Old English bycġan (“to buy, pay for, acquire, redeem, ransom, procure, get done, sell”), from Proto-West Germanic *buggjan, from Proto-Germanic *bugjaną (“to buy”), of uncertain origin. Perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *bʰūgʰ- (“to bend”), or from Proto-Indo-European *bʰewgʰ- (“to take away, deliver”). Cognate with Scots buy (“to buy, purchase”), obsolete Dutch beugen (“to buy”), Old Saxon buggian, buggean (“to buy”), Old Norse byggja (“to build, settle”), Gothic 𐌱𐌿𐌲𐌾𐌰𐌽 (bugjan, “to buy”). The spelling with “u” is from the Southwest, while the pronunciation with /aɪ/ is from the East Midlands.

Meanings

1. Something which is bought; a purchase.
   • PEARS ARE GOOD FRUIT BUY FOR QUICK, EASY DESSERTS 1954 August 25, The Napa Register, volume 164, number 79, Napa, Calif., →OCLC, page 3, column 4:
   • At only $30, the second-hand kitchen table was a great buy.

Forms

Antonyms

sale

Deriveds

buyout · buy boat · buydown · buyrate · buy-bust · impulse buy

buy en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /baɪ/
• [bɑj] (British, Southern, Standard)
• bī
• (US) audio
• [baɪ] (Canada)
• [bəj] (dialectal)
• [baɪ] (Received-Pronunciation, US)
• [bɑɪ] (Australia)
• (UK) audio

Etymology

From Middle English byen, from Old English bycġan (“to buy, pay for, acquire, redeem, ransom, procure, get done, sell”), from Proto-West Germanic *buggjan, from Proto-Germanic *bugjaną (“to buy”), of uncertain origin. Perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *bʰūgʰ- (“to bend”), or from Proto-Indo-European *bʰewgʰ- (“to take away, deliver”). Cognate with Scots buy (“to buy, purchase”), obsolete Dutch beugen (“to buy”), Old Saxon buggian, buggean (“to buy”), Old Norse byggja (“to build, settle”), Gothic 𐌱𐌿𐌲𐌾𐌰𐌽 (bugjan, “to buy”). The spelling with “u” is from the Southwest, while the pronunciation with /aɪ/ is from the East Midlands.

Meanings

1. (ditransitive, transitive) To obtain (something) in exchange for money or goods.
   • Who'd Father buy the car for? He bought it for me, not for you.
   • Buy what thou hast no need of, and ere long thou wilt sell thy necessaries. 1793, Benjamin Franklin, Autobiography:
2. (ditransitive, transitive) To obtain, especially by some sacrifice.
   • Buy the truth and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Proverbs 23:23:
   • You just bought yourself an assault charge!
   • I've bought material comfort by foregoing my dreams.
3. (archaic, transitive) To suffer consequences for (something) through being deprived of something; to pay for (something one has done).
   • VVhat villaine, doſt ſtrike me? I ſweare by the rood, As I am Iacke Strawe, thou ſhalt buy it with thy blood. 1593, anonymous author, The Life and Death of Iacke Straw […], →OCLC, Act I:
4. (transitive) To bribe.
   • After Bongino reiterated that Epstein killed himself, he was flooded with responses of disbelief. "WHO has bought the both of you?" one X user asked of Bongino and Patel, referencing the Fox News interview. 2025 May 20, Tal Axelrod, “MAGA faithful grow frustrated with Trump's Justice Department”, in Axios:
   • He tried to buy me with gifts, but I wouldn't give up my beliefs.
5. (transitive) To be equivalent to in value.
   • The dollar doesn't buy as much as it used to.
6. (informal, transitive) to accept as true; to believe
   • I'm not going to buy your stupid excuses anymore!
   • People like to say that dead people look asleep, and maybe she would have bought that under different circumstances. 2020, Akwaeke Emezi, The Death of Vivek Oji, Faber & Faber Ltd, page 201:
7. (intransitive) To make a purchase or purchases, to treat (for a drink, meal or gift)
   • She buys for Federated.
   • Let's go out for dinner. I'm buying.
8. (slang, transitive) To make a bluff, usually a large one.
   • Smith tried to buy the pot on the river with a huge bluff.

Forms

Antonyms

pay · disbelieve (antonym(s) of “accept as true”) · steal · barter · vend (antonym(s) of “obtain in exchange for money”) · cheap (antonym(s) of “obtain in exchange for money”) · pitch (antonym(s) of “accept as true”) · reject (antonym(s) of “accept as true”) · sell (antonym(s) of “obtain in exchange for money”)

Deriveds

buy someone out (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buying temperature (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy someone off (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy the dip (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy nice or buy twice (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buyability (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · shop-bought (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · must-buy (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy into (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · multibuy (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · forbuy (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buying guide (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy when it snows, sell when it goes (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy the rights (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy straw hats in winter (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buyable (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · panic-buy (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · that and a nickel will buy you a cup of coffee (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy and pay for (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy-back (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · store-bought (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy a pup (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy in (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · money can't buy happiness (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy the rack (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · unbuy (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy to let (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buyer (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · prebuy (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy out from under (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · rebuy (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · overbuy (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · bring-and-buy sale (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy a ticket to (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · bought and paid for (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · I don't want to buy anything (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy wolf tickets (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · underbuy (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · leveraged buy-out (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy some time (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy the rumor (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy off (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · cross-buy (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy yourself a hat (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy woof tickets (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy when it snows and sell when it goes (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy-out (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy the big one (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy order (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy and hold (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy-in (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy out (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · panic-bought (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy low, sell high (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy back (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · vote buying (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy the dips (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy-to-play (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy a dog and bark oneself (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · bring-and-buy (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy the same horse twice (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buycott (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · why buy a book when you can join the library (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy it (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · outbuy (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy-to-let (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy-down (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy with one's ears (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy side (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy stop order (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buyware (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · group buying (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy-off (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy-bust (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · impulse-buy (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy down (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · can I buy you a drink (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buying power (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy over (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy up (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy the farm (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · impulse buy (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy the rabbit (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · why buy a book when you can join a library (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buyup (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy off on (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · buy time (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · bought priesthood (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · forebuy (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · collective buying (Terms derived from buy (verb)) · don't buy green bananas (Terms derived from buy (verb))

Descendants

bai · baim

Hypernyms

receive · trade

Hyponyms

hire · rent

Relateds

purchaser · aby

Synonyms

take on (accept as true) · swallow · swallow (accept as true) · believe (accept as true) · aby · purchase (obtain in exchange for money) · snap up · make a buy ((intransitive) make a purchase) · buy · procure · accept (accept as true) · cheap (obtain in exchange for money)

Translations (336)

mos ra (to obtain something with money) · de abnehmen (to accept as true) · kkh ᨪᩨ᩶ (to obtain something with money) · nn kjøpe (to obtain something with money) · hi कीनना (to obtain something with money) · sw nunua (to accept as true) · ota اشترا ایتمك (to obtain something with money) · cs baštit (to accept as true) · sw kununua (to obtain something with money) · ps پېرودل (to obtain something with money) · frp achetar (to obtain something with money) · ilo gumatang (to obtain something with money) · ga ceannaigh (to obtain something with money) · id membeli (to obtain something with money) · jje 사다 (to obtain something with money) · eo aĉeti (to obtain something with money) · qu rantii (to obtain something with money) · ary شرى (to obtain something with money) · gur da (to obtain something with money) · ist cunprà (to obtain something with money) · war balyo (to obtain something with money) · nn kjøpa (to obtain something with money) · nrf acater (to obtain something with money) · hy առնել (to obtain something with money) · ba ышаныу (to accept as true) · my ဝယ် (to obtain something with money) · ur خَرِیدْنا (to obtain something with money) · ia comprar (to obtain something with money) · es creer (to accept as true) · su ngagaleuh (to obtain something with money) · bo གཟིགས (to obtain something with money) · vec conprar (to obtain something with money) · es comprar (to obtain something with money) · ta வாங்கு (to obtain something with money) · fr acheter (to obtain something with money) · frr kuupe (to obtain something with money) · tsg bii (to obtain something with money) · kix tùh (to obtain something with money) · sl kupovati (to obtain something with money) · gld гаори (to obtain something with money) · ms beli (to obtain something with money) · ur مول لینا (to obtain something with money) · ota آلمق (to obtain something with money) · vi mua (to obtain something with money) · hsb kupić (to obtain something with money) · ps اخستل (to obtain something with money) · tl bilhin (to obtain something with money) · kab aɣ (to obtain something with money) · gl mercar (to obtain something with money) · jv tuku (to obtain something with money) · xag 𐔸𐕒𐔲𐕒𐕡𐕆𐔴𐕍𐔴𐕚𐕒𐕡𐕎 (to obtain something with money) · pl nabywać (to obtain something with money) · dsb kupowaś (to obtain something with money) · msk bili (to obtain something with money) · bg ку́пя (to obtain something with money) · sh покупо̀вати (to obtain something with money) · ht achte (to obtain something with money) · arz اشترى (to obtain something with money) · mk ку́пува (to obtain something with money) · ro cumpăra (to obtain something with money) · tl bumili (to obtain something with money) · nl kopen (to obtain something with money) · hu bevesz (to accept as true) · am መግዛት (to obtain something with money) · scn accattari (to obtain something with money) · chk kamö (to obtain something with money) · cs sbaštit i s navijákem (to accept as true) · lij acatâ (to obtain something with money) · yai хиринак (to obtain something with money) · urh dẹ (to obtain something with money) · nl aanschaffen (to obtain something with money) · se oastit (to obtain something with money) · non kaupa (to obtain something with money) · gcr achté (to obtain something with money) · jv tumbas (to obtain something with money) · cs kupovat (to obtain something with money) · uz sotib olmoq (to obtain something with money) · tet sosa (to obtain something with money) · ca comprar (to obtain something with money) · izh ostaa (to obtain something with money) · km ទិញ (to obtain something with money) · nl slikken (to accept as true) · pap kumpra (to obtain something with money) · oc crompar (to obtain something with money) · is kaupa (to obtain something with money) · da købe (to obtain something with money) · crh satın almaq (to obtain something with money) · su meuli (to obtain something with money) · rsk купиц (to obtain something with money) · tdd ᥔᥪᥳ (to obtain something with money) · cs žrát (to accept as true) · khb ᦌᦹᧉ (to obtain something with money) · sea belik (to obtain something with money) · nan-hbl 買 /买 (to obtain something with money) · la emō (to obtain something with money) · sc comporai (to obtain something with money) · kg kusumba (to obtain something with money) · es mercar (to obtain something with money) · osx buggian (to obtain something with money) · eu erosi (to obtain something with money) · ny kugúla (to obtain something with money) · sa क्रीणाति (to obtain something with money) · akl bakae (to obtain something with money) · cs koupit (to obtain something with money) · so gado (to obtain something with money) · lmo crompâ (to obtain something with money) · mn авах (to obtain something with money) · ka ყიდვა (to obtain something with money) · dsb kupiś (to obtain something with money) · war palit (to obtain something with money) · tum gula (to obtain something with money) · aii ܙܵܒ݂ܹܢ (to obtain something with money) · tts ซื้อ (to obtain something with money) · wa atchter (to obtain something with money) · ryu 買ーいん (to obtain something with money) · kl sivoq (to obtain something with money) · ha sáyṓ (to obtain something with money) · as কিনা (to obtain something with money) · ia emer (to obtain something with money) · it comperare (desueto) (to obtain something with money) · isd xatang (to obtain something with money) · nv nayiiłniih (to obtain something with money) · ang ceapian (to obtain something with money) · zdj uhula (to obtain something with money) · sc comporare (to obtain something with money) · fo keypa (to obtain something with money) · ru купи́ть (to obtain something with money) · shn သိုဝ်ႉ (to obtain something with money) · ibg gatang (to obtain something with money) · lo ຊື້ (to obtain something with money) · tk satyn almak (to obtain something with money) · inh эца (to obtain something with money) · sh pokupòvati (to obtain something with money) · cy prynu (to obtain something with money) · sk kúpiť (to obtain something with money) · gd ceannaich (to obtain something with money) · fi uskoa (to accept as true) · hsb kupować (to obtain something with money) · vec cronpar (to obtain something with money) · mn худалдаж авах (to obtain something with money) · nl aankopen (to obtain something with money) · evn гами (to obtain something with money) · mnc ᡠᡩᠠᠮᠪᡳ (to obtain something with money) · it acquistare (to obtain something with money) · os ӕлхӕнын (to obtain something with money) · ja 買う (to obtain something with money) · ba һатып алыу (to obtain something with money) · nrf acataer (to obtain something with money) · ty hoʻo (to obtain something with money) · ko 구입하다 (to obtain something with money) · bo ཉོས (to obtain something with money) · lld comprer (to obtain something with money) · kmr pejirandin (to accept as true) · pt adquirir (to obtain something with money) · za cawx (to obtain something with money) · lb kafen (to obtain something with money) · pam sali (to obtain something with money) · qu rantiy (to obtain something with money) · kum алмакъ (to obtain something with money) · lb ofhuelen (to accept as true) · sh kúpiti (to obtain something with money) · si ගන්නවා (to obtain something with money) · tzm ⵙⵖ (to obtain something with money) · sk kupovať (to obtain something with money) · be купля́ць (to obtain something with money) · aho 𑜏𑜢𑜤𑜈𑜫 (to obtain something with money) · cmn 買 /买 (to obtain something with money) · yue 買 /买 (to obtain something with money) · ak tɔ (to obtain something with money) · sv köpa (to accept as true) · ru сха́вать (to accept as true) · kmr kirîn (to obtain something with money) · mk купи (to obtain something with money) · it comprare (to obtain something with money) · sv köpa (to obtain something with money) · hy գնել (to obtain something with money) · ne किन्नु (to obtain something with money) · sh ку́пити (to obtain something with money) · af koop (to obtain something with money) · sgs pėrktė (to obtain something with money) · ru ве́рить (to accept as true) · tt сатып алырга (to obtain something with money) · co cumprà (to obtain something with money) · rsk куповац (to obtain something with money) · tzm ⴰⵖ (to obtain something with money) · mkj dupukda (to obtain something with money) · sh купо̀вати (to obtain something with money) · th ซื้อ (to obtain something with money) · gu ખરીદવું (to obtain something with money) · apw nahiʼdiih (to obtain something with money) · av бичун босизе (to obtain something with money) · mba palit (to obtain something with money) · he קָנָה (to obtain something with money) · la sūmō (to obtain something with money) · bdr beli (to obtain something with money) · myv рамамс (to obtain something with money) · sh kupòvati (to obtain something with money) · tr yemek (to accept as true) · ast mercar (to obtain something with money) · fi niellä (to accept as true) · rom kinel (to obtain something with money) · de kaufen (to obtain something with money) · txb käry- (to obtain something with money) · de abkaufen (to accept as true) · ug سېتىۋالماق (to obtain something with money) · sq blej (to obtain something with money) · bsb mali (to obtain something with money) · uk купи́ти (to obtain something with money) · beg melei (to obtain something with money) · tr satın almak (to obtain something with money) · fr gober (to accept as true) · ilo gatangen (to obtain something with money) · xbr kei (to obtain something with money) · izh lunata (to obtain something with money) · el αγοράζω (to obtain something with money) · ru ха́вать (to accept as true) · io komprar (to obtain something with money) · be купі́ць (to obtain something with money) · kxd bali (to obtain something with money) · sc comprai (to obtain something with money) · uk купува́ти (to obtain something with money) · pt comprar (to obtain something with money) · fy keape (to obtain something with money) · fi ostaa (to obtain something with money) · ilo manggatang (to obtain something with money) · es comprar (to accept as true) · hu vesz (to obtain something with money) · acw اَشْترى (to obtain something with money) · dtp boli (to obtain something with money) · br prenañ (to obtain something with money) · ba алыу (to obtain something with money) · hu vásárol (to obtain something with money) · scn cumprari (to obtain something with money) · mfe aste (to obtain something with money) · hi मानना (to accept as true) · ltg pierkt (to obtain something with money) · sh prihvatiti (to accept as true) · tyv садып алыр (to obtain something with money) · el χάβω (to accept as true) · grc ἀγοράζω (to obtain something with money) · bg купу́вам (to obtain something with money) · yo rà (to obtain something with money) · nb kjøpe (to accept as true) · nb kjøpe (to obtain something with money) · gl comprar (to obtain something with money) · mww yuav (to obtain something with money) · hi ख़रीदना (to obtain something with money) · sc cumporai (to obtain something with money) · ttg meli (to obtain something with money) · ab аахәара (to obtain something with money) · st reka (to obtain something with money) · om bituu (to obtain something with money) · yi קויפֿן (to obtain something with money) · rm cumprar (to obtain something with money) · rup acumpãr (to obtain something with money) · mi hoko (to obtain something with money) · lv pirkt (to obtain something with money) · bni somba (to obtain something with money) · pa ਖ਼ਰੀਦਣਾ (to obtain something with money) · es convidar (to treat) · an crompar (to obtain something with money) · ru покупа́ть (to obtain something with money) · lv nopirkt (to obtain something with money) · pl nabyć (to obtain something with money) · pam sumali (to obtain something with money) · mt xtara (to obtain something with money) · ryu 買ーゆん (to obtain something with money) · sq blej (to accept as true) · sm faʻatau (to obtain something with money) · hi क्रय (to obtain something with money) · pt engolir (to accept as true) · non byggja (to obtain something with money) · dng мэ (to obtain something with money) · so iibso (to obtain something with money) · cs skočit (to accept as true) · ain ホㇰ (to obtain something with money) · bn কেনা (to obtain something with money) · oj adaawen (to obtain something with money) · el χάφτω (to accept as true) · jv mundhut (to obtain something with money) · pl kupić (to obtain something with money) · tr almak (to obtain something with money) · haw kūʻai (to obtain something with money) · kmr qebûl kirin (to accept as true) · tl bili (to obtain something with money) · ang bycgan (to obtain something with money) · az almaq (to obtain something with money) · to fakatau (to obtain something with money) · ky сатып алуу (to obtain something with money) · ajp شرى (to obtain something with money) · sk naletieť (to accept as true) · izh lunastaa (to obtain something with money) · fy keapje (to obtain something with money) · grc ὠνέομαι (to obtain something with money) · pl kupować (to obtain something with money) · bho किनल (to obtain something with money) · ajp اشترى (to obtain something with money) · prs خَرِیدَن (to obtain something with money) · ckb کڕین (to obtain something with money) · ce эца (to obtain something with money) · rm cumprer (to obtain something with money) · kk сатып алу (to obtain something with money) · cmn 買賬 /买账 (to accept as true) · sl kupiti (to obtain something with money) · fa-ira خَریدَن (to obtain something with money) · sc comparai (to obtain something with money) · sd خريد ڪرڻ (to obtain something with money) · tr sakmak (to obtain something with money) · ar اِشْتَرَى (to obtain something with money) · ja 購入する (to obtain something with money) · iso dẹ (to obtain something with money) · blt ꪏꪳ꫁ (to obtain something with money) · fur comprâ (to obtain something with money) · ast comprar (to obtain something with money) · su mésér (to obtain something with money) · ium maaiz (to obtain something with money) · ln somba (to obtain something with money) · kgp kajãm (to obtain something with money) · bin dẹ (to obtain something with money) · clt calyi (to obtain something with money) · nds-de köpen (to obtain something with money) · nap accattà (to obtain something with money) · tg харидан (to obtain something with money) · ko 사다 (to obtain something with money) · kmr standin (to obtain something with money) · ps پېرل (to obtain something with money) · got 𐌱𐌿𐌲𐌾𐌰𐌽 (to obtain something with money) · kw prena (to obtain something with money) · ru пове́рить (to accept as true) · ovd tjyöpa (to obtain something with money) · lt pirkti (to obtain something with money) · nod ᨪᩨ᩶ (to obtain something with money) · ceb palit (to obtain something with money) · glk هین (to obtain something with money) · et ostma (to obtain something with money) · ivv manadiw (to obtain something with money)