bio, noun
/ˈbaɪəʊ/
colloquial. Shortened form of bioscope (sense 1 a and b). Also attributive.
1918 H. Baumann Informant, Bloemfontein 23 Sept.In the afternoon took the nurses and patients to the Bio & tea.
1934 C.P. Swart Supplement to Pettman. 13Instead of saying ‘I am going to the pictures or the cinema,’ South Africans say ‘I am going to the bio(scope).’
1977 F.G. Butler Karoo Morning 120Ernest and Alice..had reservations about letting their offspring haunt the ‘bio’; for what was the ‘bio’..but a mass-produced version of the theatre...The first ‘bio’ I saw was ‘Charley’s Aunt.’
1979 Sunday Times 8 July (Extra) 2We jam-pack our bios to the ceiling, sit shoulder-to-shoulder with our black broers — and applaud a bloody good show!
1990 J. Naidoo Coolie Location 192Sometimes we used to scrape together enough to make up our bio fare.
Shortened form of bioscope (1 a and b). Also attributive.
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