maybe

== English == === Alternative forms === mebbe (dialectal) may-be (obsolete) === Etymology === From an ellipsis of Middle English it may be, equivalent to may +‎ be. Compare mayhap. === Pronunciation === enPR: mā'bē, IPA(key): /ˈmeɪ.bi/, [ˈmeɪ̯.bi] (Northumbria) IPA(key): /mɛˈbiː/ (General Australian) IPA(key): /ˈmæɪ.bi/, [ˈmæɪ̯.bi] Rhymes: -eɪbi === Adverb === maybe (not comparable) Perhaps, possibly. (as a pro-sentence) Perhaps that is true (expressing no commitment to a decision or a neutral viewpoint to a statement). 2016, VOA Learning English (public domain) Okay. See you later, maybe. — Maybe I’ll see you later. (UK, meiosis) Certainly. ==== Usage notes ==== Do not confuse maybe with the verb construction may be: "Maybe that's true", but "That may be true". ==== Synonyms ==== (perhaps): mayhaps, peradventure, perhaps, possibly (as a pro-sentence): could be, mayhaps, might be, perhaps, possibly, that’s possible ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Adjective === maybe (comparative more maybe, superlative most maybe) Possible; uncertain. === Noun === maybe (plural maybes) (informal) Something that is possibly true. (informal) An answer that shows neither agreement nor disagreement. (informal) A future event that may or may not happen. ==== Synonyms ==== perhaps ==== Derived terms ==== definite maybe === Anagrams === Mabey, Mbaye, abyme, beamy, embay