## Meanings
1. To secretly give someone money or gifts so they will do something dishonest for you.
2. Money or a gift given secretly to persuade someone to act dishonestly.

## Examples
- He tried to bribe the police officer to ignore the speeding ticket.
- The official was arrested for accepting a bribe from the developer.

## Synonyms
- backhander
- bung
- dash
- douceur
- inducement
- pay-off
- payola
- subornation
- sweetener

## Derived Forms
- bribable
- bribee
- bribeless
- bribeproof
- briber
- bribery
- bribetaker
- bribetaking
- outbribe
- overbribe
- rebribe
- unbribed

## Related Forms
- corrupt
- greed
- spoils
- venal

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: bribe
- Root: briber

## Etymology
From Middle English bribe, from Old French briber (“go begging”), from the noun bribe (“a gift”).

## AI Etymology
Bribe is from Middle English bribe, from Old French briber (“go begging”), from the noun bribe (“a gift”). In present-day use, it can mean to secretly give someone money or gifts so they will do something dishonest for you, or money or a gift given secretly to persuade someone to act dishonestly. Related forms include corrupt, greed, spoils, venal. Derived formations include bribable, bribee, bribeless, bribeproof, briber.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

markdown

bribe

Meanings

Thesaurus

Etymology

Topics

External links

Keyboard Shortcuts

General

Send feedback