bullet

noun

bul·​let ˈbu̇-lət 

 also  ˈbə-

often attributive

1

: a round or elongated missile (as of lead) to be fired from a firearm

broadly : cartridge sense a

2

a

: something resembling a bullet (as in curved form)

b

: a large dot placed in printed matter to call attention to a particular passage

3

: a very fast and accurately thrown or hit object (such as a ball or puck)

bulleted

ˈbu̇-lə-təd 

 also  ˈbə-

adjective

Synonyms

• ball
• pellet

Examples of bullet in a Sentence

He was killed by an assassin's bullet.

Bullets were used to separate each item.

The quarterback threw a bullet to the receiver.

Recent Examples on the Web

One of the vehicles had a window and its windshield shattered by the bullets. —Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 20 Jan. 2025

Just a mile from Gaza, Kfar Aza's houses were burned by explosives, riddled with bullet holes and reduced to rubble by tank shells. —Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2025

Garfield died roughly two months after an assassin's bullet couldn't be removed from his body and infected him. —Ed O'Keefe, CBS News, 18 Jan. 2025

One man allegedly unloaded his pistol into Mary, only to find that the bullets were incapable of penetrating her thick hide. —Scott Travers, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle French boulette small ball & boulet missile, diminutives of boule ball — more at bowl

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing bullet

• bite the bullet
• bullet point
• bullet train
• dodge a bullet
• dodge the bullet
• magic bullet
• rubber bullet
• silver bullet

Kids Definition

bullet

noun

bul·​let ˈbu̇l-ət 

1

: a usually cone-shaped lead pellet fixed in the front of a firearms cartridge

2

a

: something like a bullet

b

: a large dot used in print to call attention to a particular passage

3

: a very fast and accurately thrown or hit object (as a ball)

bulleted

-ət-əd 

adjective

Etymology

from early French boulette "small ball" and boulet "something thrown or shot," from boule "ball," from Latin bulla "bubble" — related to boil, bowl