bullet

noun

bul·​let ˈbu̇-lət How to pronounce bullet (audio)
 also  ˈbə-
often attributive
1
: a round or elongated missile (as of lead) to be fired from a firearm
broadly : cartridge sense a
2
a
: something resembling a bullet (as in curved form)
b
: a large dot placed in printed matter to call attention to a particular passage
3
: a very fast and accurately thrown or hit object (such as a ball or puck)
bulleted
ˈbu̇-lə-təd How to pronounce bullet (audio)
 also  ˈbə-
adjective

Examples of bullet in a Sentence

He was killed by an assassin's bullet. Bullets were used to separate each item. The quarterback threw a bullet to the receiver.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The relocation and gentrification of the people experiencing homelessness right now is essentially putting a Band-Aid on the bullet wound that is the housing situation of the Bay Area. Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2024 In one instance, a man survived a gunshot only due to his pocket watch deflecting the bullet, while another joined the Union army after deserting the Confederacy. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 6 Nov. 2024 Trump survived by millimeters a would-be assassin’s bullet at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Bill Barrow, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2024 Apartment buildings were riddled with bullet holes, the constant threat of car bombs loomed, and the distant shelling at night—said to be far off—never felt that way. David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bullet 

Word History

Etymology

Middle French boulette small ball & boulet missile, diminutives of boule ball — more at bowl

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bullet was in 1579

Dictionary Entries Near bullet

Cite this Entry

“Bullet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bullet. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

bullet

noun
bul·​let ˈbu̇l-ət How to pronounce bullet (audio)
1
: a usually cone-shaped lead pellet fixed in the front of a firearms cartridge
2
a
: something like a bullet
b
: a large dot used in print to call attention to a particular passage
3
: a very fast and accurately thrown or hit object (as a ball)
bulleted adjective
Etymology

from early French boulette "small ball" and boulet "something thrown or shot," from boule "ball," from Latin bulla "bubble" — related to boil, bowl

More from Merriam-Webster on bullet

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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