Beatles

English

Etymology

Originally spelled Beatals, punningly referencing the expression beat all (“surpass everything”), then later altered to Beatles, blend of beat +‎ beetles, with beat referring to "beat music" or the "beat" of a drum, and beetles inspired by the contemporaneous band name The Crickets.[1][2]

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈbiːtl̩z/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈbiːtl̩z/, [ˈbiːɾɫ̩z]
    • Homophone: beetles
    • Audio (US):(file)

Proper noun

the Beatles pl (plural only)

  1. An extremely successful and influential British rock music quartet that operated primarily in the 1960s.
    Synonym: Fab Four

Derived terms

Translations

Further reading

Noun

Beatles

  1. plural of Beatle

References

  1. ^ Greg Metzer, Rock Band Name Origins (Jefferson, NC: McFarland and Co.) 2008.
  2. ^ Kenneth Womack, The Beatles Encyclopedia: Everything Fab Four (Santa Barbara: Greenwood) 2017.

Anagrams

French

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /bi.tœls/, /bi.tœlz/
  • Audio:(file)

Proper noun

Beatles m pl (plural only)

  1. Beatles (rock music quartet)

German

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈbiːtl̩s/
  • Audio:(file)

Proper noun

Beatles m pl (proper noun, plural only)

  1. Beatles (rock music quartet)

Portuguese

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English Beatles.

Pronunciation

 
  • (Brazil) IPA(key): /ˈbi.tows/ [ˈbi.toʊ̯s]
  • (Portugal) IPA(key): /ˈbi.tɐls/ [ˈbi.tɐɫs]

Proper noun

Beatles m pl (plural only)

  1. Beatles (rock music quartet)

Spanish

Proper noun

Beatles m pl (plural only)

  1. Beatles (rock music quartet)
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