Bullet
/ˈbʊl.ɪt/noun
A small metal projectile fired from a gun.
Did you know?“Bullet” comes from French *boulette*, meaning “little ball,” from *boule* (“ball”), so its original image was roundness, not violence.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bhel-
“to swell, blow, or expand”
Latin
Latin
bulla
“bubble, lump, rounded object”
Old French
Old French
boulette
“small ball; pellet”
Middle English
English
bullett
“a small ball or pellet”
Modern English
English
bullet
“a projectile fired from a firearm”