bill

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A piece of paper showing how much money you owe for goods or services.

   I paid my bill at the restaurant.

2. 2
   noun

   A written plan for a new law, presented to a parliament for discussion.

   Parliament debated the new immigration bill.

3. 3
   verb

   To send someone a request for payment.

   They billed us for their services at the end of the month.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

The bill that records an amount to be paid comes through Anglo-Norman bile, probably from Latin bulla, “sealed document.” In the Middle Ages it could mean any written statement or list. A bird’s bill is a separate Old English word of uncertain origin, possibly related to another Old English bill meaning first a sword and later a pike; that weapon name also produced billhook.

From Middle English bill, bille, bil, from Old English bil, bill (“a hooked point; curved weapon; two-edged sword”), from Proto-Germanic *bilją (“axe; sword; blade”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyH- (“to strike; beat”). Cognate with West Frisian bile (“axe”), Dutch bijl (“axe”), German Bille (“axe”).

Topics

External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary