TERMIUM Plus®

The Government of Canada’s terminology and linguistic data bank.

WANNA-BEE [2 records]

Record 1 1999-11-12

English

Subject field(s)
  • General Vocabulary
CONT

The wannabee-journalists were mostly young women a year out of university with no experience, no technique, an approved claim to talent and awesome confidence. (The Guardian, 15 Sept. 1988, p. 10;2).

DEF

aspiring.

Key term(s)
  • wanna-be
  • wanna be
  • wanna-bee
  • wannabie

French

Domaine(s)
  • Vocabulaire général
CONT

Ces amateurs velléitaires et stériles (Proust).

Spanish

Save record 1

Record 2 1999-11-12

English

Subject field(s)
  • Neology and Linguistic Borrowing
  • Translation (General)
DEF

A person who aspires to something

DEF

Anyone who wants to be someone else.

CONT

Bimbo wannabees are known as bimbettes. (The Guardian, 11 Nov. 1987, p. 40.).

OBS

First used in the mid eighties to refer to white youth in the US who dressed and behaved like members of black gangs.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Néologie et emprunts
  • Traduction (Généralités)
DEF

Personne qui a des intentions faibles et ne se décide pas à agir.

CONT

ce qu'on appelle un velléitaire.

Spanish

Save record 2

Copyright notice for the TERMIUM Plus® data bank

© Public Services and Procurement Canada, 2024
TERMIUM Plus®, the Government of Canada's terminology and linguistic data bank
A product of the Translation Bureau

Features

Language Portal of Canada

Access a collection of Canadian resources on all aspects of English and French, including quizzes.

Writing tools

The Language Portal’s writing tools have a new look! Easy to consult, they give you access to a wealth of information that will help you write better in English and French.

Glossaries and vocabularies

Access Translation Bureau glossaries and vocabularies.

Date Modified: