billon

noun

bil·​lon ˈbi-lən How to pronounce billon (audio)
1
: gold or silver heavily alloyed with a less valuable metal
2
: an alloy of silver containing more than 50 percent of copper by weight

Word History

Etymology

French, from Middle French, from bille log — more at billet

First Known Use

1716, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of billon was in 1716

Dictionary Entries Near billon

Cite this Entry

“Billon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/billon. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!