Bullets

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈbʊl.ɪts/

Definitions

1. Small metal projectiles fired from guns ; symbols used to highlight items in a list or document
2. Cartridges or pellets discharged by weapons ; markers that organize or emphasize important information in written form
3. Round or pointed shot used in firearms ; graphical dots or symbols to denote separate elements in text

Etymology: The plural "bullets" is the form of "bullet," and the word's history is a neat case of a ball that was never quite a ball. Its ancestor in Middle English meant an official tag or badge of registration or identification, borrowed from Old French "bullete," a diminutive of "boule," meaning "ball." The small round seal or tag was named for its shape, and the sense of a small round projectile came later, influenced by Middle French "boulette" and French "boulet," which were themselves ball-like words. The other popular route, from "bull" plus the diminutive suffix "-et," offers a tidy explanation but does not match the documented history: the French source already supplies the diminutive ending, so the English word was not built by adding "-et" to "bull." The two senses, the marker and the projectile, both grew out of the idea of roundness.

Synonyms: projectiles, rounds, ammunition