Billet

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /ˈbɪlɪt/

Definitions

1. Temporary housing provided to soldiers or travelers ; a short piece of wood or metal often used for fuel or craft ; a small slip of paper used as a note or ticket
2. An assigned place to stay for military personnel or visitors ; a compact block of wood or metal typically used for burning or shaping ; a written voucher or message often used for identification or admission
3. Accommodation requisitioned for service members or guests ; a miniature log or metal piece frequently utilized in workshops or heating ; a ticket or informal letter that conveys information or permission

Etymology: The military sense of "billet" comes from a surprisingly humble source: a short piece of wood. In Old French, "billette" meant a small log, and the same root gave English "billet" in the sense of a stick of firewood. The word's Gaulish-linked origin points to something cut from a tree trunk, which is where the trail of meaning begins. The lodging sense arrived through a different branch entirely. In Anglo-Norman and Middle French, "billette" also meant a written note or schedule, a small document, and this came from Latin "bulla", a seal or document. So the two senses of the word are not related in their origin: one came from wood, the other from paper, and they merged in English. The soldier's "billet" was the slip of paper, or the wooden tally, that assigned a soldier a place to sleep. Over time the sense of the assigned document faded, and "billet" came to mean the quarters themselves. The word's past tense "billeted" and its verb use follow this same path of meaning.

Synonyms: lodge, quarter, accommodate