billet

1 of 3

noun (1)

bil·​let ˈbi-lət 

1

archaic : a brief letter : note

2

a

: an official order directing that a member of a military force be provided with board and lodging (as in a private home)

b

: quarters assigned by or as if by a billet

3

: position, job

a lucrative billet

billet

2 of 3

verb

billeted; billeting; billets

transitive verb

1

: to assign lodging to (someone, such as a soldier) by or as if by a billet

2

: to serve with a billet

billet a householder

billet

3 of 3

noun (2)

1

a

: a chunky piece of wood (as for firewood)

b

obsolete : cudgel

2

a

: a bar of metal

b

: a piece of semifinished iron or steel nearly square in section made by rolling an ingot or bloom

c

: a section of nonferrous metal ingot hot-worked by forging, rolling, or extrusion

d

: a nonferrous casting suitable for rolling or extrusion

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• appointment
• berth
• capacity
• connection
• function
• job
• place
• position
• post
• situation

Verb

• accommodate
• bestow
• bivouac
• board
• bunk
• camp
• chamber
• domicile
• encamp
• harbor
• house
• lodge
• put up
• quarter
• roof
• room
• shelter
• take in

Noun (2)

• bar
• rod

Examples of billet in a Sentence

Noun (1)

found a billet at one of the leading brokerage houses in New York

Verb

every colonial household was expected to billet a British soldier

Noun (2)

a stack of gold billets in the vault

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

And Osprey’s interior quality looked another step higher to my eye than on my last test drive about two years ago, from the dash lines to the billet aluminum touchpoints and the upholstery stitching. —Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024

Hundreds of them marched — marched — down from Northern California to this new billet. —Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024

Verb

He was evacuated to the countryside and the family that he was billeted with was a tailoring family. —James Powel, USA TODAY, 27 Oct. 2024

The mercenaries billeted there scrawled graffiti across the frescoes. —Nick Bowlin, Harper's Magazine, 30 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English bylet, from Anglo-French billette, diminutive of bille bill

Noun (2)

Middle English bylet, from Anglo-French billete, diminutive of bille log, of Celtic origin; akin to Old Irish bile landmark tree

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing billet

• billet-doux

Kids Definition

billet

1 of 3 noun

bil·​let ˈbil-ət 

1

: an official order that a soldier be put up in a private home

2

: quarters assigned by or as if by a billet

3

: job sense 3, position

billet

2 of 3 verb

: to assign lodging to : quarter

billet

3 of 3 noun

1

: a chunky piece of wood (as for firewood)

2

: a bar of metal

especially : one of iron or steel

Etymology

Noun

Middle English bylet "brief note," from early French billette, literally, "little document," derived from Latin billa "document"

Noun

Middle English bylet "chunk of wood," from early French billete, literally, "little log"; of Celtic origin