alibi
/ˈæl.ə.baɪ/noun, verb
alibi is spelled A-L-I-B-I: 5 letters and 3 syllables. It appears 1.3 times per million words in written English, the 25,367th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, alibi means “The plea or mode of defense under which a person on trial for a crime proves or attempts to prove being in another place when the alleged act was…” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of alibi is alibis.
How many letters and syllables are in alibi?
| Letters | 5: A-L-I-B-I |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 1.3 times per million words; the 25,367th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is alibi?
Alibi appears 1.3 times per million words in written English, the 25,367th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce alibi?
- US /ˈæl.ə.baɪ/
Alibi has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-alibi.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of alibi
- alibis plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- alibies present, singular, he/she/it
- alibiing participle, present
- alibied participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does alibi mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
The plea or mode of defense under which a person on trial for a crime proves or attempts to prove being in another place when the alleged act was committed.
to set up an alibi
- 2
proscribedAn excuse, especially one used to avoid responsibility or blame.
verb
- 1
To provide an alibi for.
- 2
To provide an excuse for.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Alibi in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | alibi |
| German | Alibi , Rechtfertigung, Ausrede, Entschuldigung |
| Portuguese | álibi , desculpa |
| Spanish | coartada, alibi, álibi, alibí, álibai |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does alibi come from?
From the 18th century, from Latin alibī (“elsewhere, at another place”, adverb). Probably after French alibi, which has this use since the late 14th century.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).