bill | Words related to bill | Online Etymology Dictionary

Words related to bill

"papal edict, highest authoritative document issued by or in the name of a pope," c. 1300, from Medieval Latin bulla "sealed document" (source of Old French bulle, Italian bulla), originally the word for the seal itself, from Latin bulla "round swelling, knob," said ultimately to be from Gaulish, from PIE *beu-, a root supposed to have formed a large group of words meaning "much, great, many," also words associated with swelling, bumps, and blisters (source also of Lithuanian bulė "buttocks," Middle Dutch puyl "bag," also possibly Latin bucca "cheek").

billing (n.1)

1875, "announcement on a bill or poster," verbal noun from bill (v.) "post as a public notice" (see bill (n.1)); hence top billing (1928). Meaning "act of sending out a bill" is recorded from 1908.

billing (n.2)

"a dove-like caressing, love-making," 1580s; see bill (v.2).

billable (adj.)

1570s, from bill (v.) + -able.

billboard (n.)

also bill-board, "any sort of board where bills were meant to be posted," 1845, American English, from bill (n.1) "written public notice" + board (n.1). Billboard magazine founded 1894, originally a trade paper for the bill-posting industry; its music sales charts date from the 1930s.

billet (n.2)

"small paper, short document, note," mid-15c., earlier "an official register, roll, or record" (late 13c.), from Anglo-French billette "list, schedule," diminutive of bille "written statement" (see bill (n.1)) with -let.

billet (v.)

1590s, "to assign quarters to, to direct (a soldier) by note to a lodging place," from a noun meaning "a ticket given by a military officer directing a person to whom it is addressed to provide board and lodging for the soldier carrying it" (1640s). This was a specific use of the word, which earlier meant merely "official record or register" (late 13c.), from Anglo-French billette "list, schedule," diminutive of bille "written statement" (see bill (n.1)) with -let. From 1830 in the sense "place where a soldier is lodged." Related: Billeted; billeting.

billet-doux (n.)

also billet doux, 1670s, "short love letter," French, literally "sweet note," from billet "document, note" (14c., diminutive of bille "a writing, a list, a seal;" see bill (n.1)) + doux "sweet," from Latin dulcis (see dulcet).

billfold (n.)

1879, from bill (n.1) + fold, here perhaps short for folder.

handbill (n.)

loose paper circulated by hand to make a public announcement, 1753, from hand (n.) + bill (n.1). Also applied to posted bills.

Words related to bill

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