bullion

[ bool-yuhn ]

noun

1. gold or silver considered in mass rather than in value.
2. gold or silver in the form of bars or ingots.
3. Also called bullion fringe. a thick trimming of cord covered with gold or silver thread, for decorating uniforms.
4. embroidery or lace worked with gold wire or gold or silver cords.

bullion

/ ˈbʊljən /

noun

1. gold or silver in mass
2. gold or silver in the form of bars and ingots, suitable for further processing
3. Also calledbullion fringe a thick gold or silver wire or fringed cord used as a trimming, as on military uniforms

Other Words From

• bul·lion·less adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of bullion¹

1300–50; Middle English: melted mass of gold or silver < Anglo-Latin bulliōn- (stem of bulliō ) in same sense (< Anglo-French bullion mint), literally, a boiling, equivalent to bull ( īre ) to bubble, boil ¹ + -iōn- -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of bullion¹

C14 (in the sense: melted gold or silver): from Anglo-French: mint, probably from Old French bouillir to boil, from Latin bullīre

Example Sentences

The blank right-hand panel could be mirror as well as bullion.

From The Daily Beast

Warhol's "Crash" may have started out depicting hoarded bullion, but last night that's what it became.

From The Daily Beast

Nor do they expect other people to believe this, sparking a hysteria that could make the fortunes of those with bullion.

From The Daily Beast

Then small bullion tassels to match the twist will form a suitable and elegant finish.

From Project Gutenberg

For some years the subject attracted little attention, until the bullion committee of 1810 propounded a sounder theory.

From Project Gutenberg

Gold was considered bullion in Palestine for a long time after silver was current as money.

From Project Gutenberg

He 'sophisticated' it, as the parliamentary documents call it—that is, he used base metal instead of bullion.

From Project Gutenberg

"You'd have to be protected; you'd be Bullion on two legs," said Algernon, always shrewd in detecting a weakness.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• buck
• currency
• investment
• note
• payment
• refund
• reserve
• security
• stock
• supply