Billow
/ˈbɪl.oʊ/noun
A large wave or swell of water; also, a moving swell or surge.
Did you know?The word 'billow' is related to the Old Norse 'bylgja', which means 'wave', linking it to ancient sea deities and the power of nature's fury.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰel-
“To swell, to grow, to shine.”
Old Norse
Old Norse
bylgja
“Wave, billow (often linked to the sea and its deities).”
Middle English
Middle English
bilwe
“To swell or rise like a wave.”
Modern English
English
billow
“To swell out, as in the motion of waves.”