*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of bingo

Alternative form of bing, suggesting a ringing sound. Attested since 1925.

3 source sectionsBrief source recordWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 3 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1 · variant 1/2

Original entry ↗
intj

Used by players of bingo to claim a win. · Used when finding what one has been looking for or trying to recall, or on successful completion of a task. · Used to enthusiastically confirm or validate another speaker's point.

adj

Just sufficient to return to base (or, alternatively, to divert to an alternative airfield). (also written Bingo or BINGO)

verb

To play the game of bingo. · To give the winning cry of "bingo!" in a game. · To play all of one's seven tiles in one move in the game of Scrabble, earning a score bonus. · To return to base.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Alternative form of bing, suggesting a ringing sound. Attested since 1925.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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  "links": [
    [
      "bing",
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    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "intj",
      "glosses": [
        "Used by players of bingo to claim a win.",
        "Used when finding what one has been looking for or trying to recall, or on successful completion of a task.",
        "Used to enthusiastically confirm or validate another speaker's point."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ],
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    },
    {
      "pos": "adj",
      "glosses": [
        "Just sufficient to return to base (or, alternatively, to divert to an alternative airfield). (also written Bingo or BINGO)"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "US",
        "not-comparable",
        "slang"
      ],
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      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 242675
    },
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "To play the game of bingo.",
        "To give the winning cry of \"bingo!\" in a game.",
        "To play all of one's seven tiles in one move in the game of Scrabble, earning a score bonus.",
        "To return to base."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "intransitive",
        "US",
        "slang"
      ],
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Source etymology 1 · variant 2/2

Original entry ↗
noun

A game of chance for two or more players, who mark off numbers on a grid as they are announced by the caller; the game is won by the first person to call out "bingo!" or "house!" after crossing off all numbers on the grid or in one line of the grid. · A similar game or amusement in which participants tick off themed words, phrases or pictures as these are called out, or as they are mentioned, for example during a speech or performance · A win in such a game. · A play where all seven of a player's letter tiles are played, awarding a score bonus.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Alternative form of bing, suggesting a ringing sound. Attested since 1925.

This page abbreviates 1 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [],
  "links": [
    [
      "bing",
      "bing#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "lang": "Polish",
      "lang_code": "pl",
      "word": "bingo",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ]
    },
    {
      "lang": "Chinese",
      "lang_code": "zh",
      "word": "賓果",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Traditional-Chinese"
      ],
      "roman": "bīnguǒ"
    },
    {
      "lang": "Chinese",
      "lang_code": "zh",
      "word": "宾果",
      "raw_tags": [
        "borrowed"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Simplified-Chinese"
      ],
      "roman": "bīnguǒ"
    }
  ],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A game of chance for two or more players, who mark off numbers on a grid as they are announced by the caller; the game is won by the first person to call out \"bingo!\" or \"house!\" after crossing off all numbers on the grid or in one line of the grid.",
        "A similar game or amusement in which participants tick off themed words, phrases or pictures as these are called out, or as they are mentioned, for example during a speech or performance",
        "A win in such a game.",
        "A play where all seven of a player's letter tiles are played, awarding a score bonus."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable",
        "countable",
        "US"
      ],
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}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗
noun

Brandy.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Perhaps related to stingo.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [],
  "links": [
    [
      "stingo",
      "stingo#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "Brandy."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "obsolete",
        "slang",
        "uncountable"
      ],
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Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for bingo →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger
Machine-source provenance
Source SHA-256
5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run
73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID
w-YmluZ28