billon

[bil-uhn]

noun

1. an alloy used in coinage, consisting of gold or silver with a larger amount of base metal.

2. an alloy of silver with copper or the like, used for coins of small denomination.

3. any coin struck from such an alloy.

billon

/ ˈbɪlən /

noun

1. an alloy consisting of gold or silver and a base metal, usually copper, used esp for coinage

2. any coin made of such an alloy

Word History and Origins

Origin of billon¹

1720–30; < French: debased metal, originally ingot, equivalent to Middle French bille log ( billet ² ) + -on noun suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of billon¹

C18: from Old French: ingot, from bille log; see _billet ²

Example Sentences

Food delivery operating loss per order is expected to rise in 4Q, resulting in a segment loss of around 13 billon yuan, the analysts say.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Ouattara, 83, won 89.8% of the vote, the electoral commission said on Monday, and businessman Jeal-Louis Billon came a distant second with only 3.09%.

Read more on BBC

Former trade minister and agri-businessman Jean-Louis Billon, 60, hopes to rally backers from his former stable, the Democratic Party.

Read more on Barron's

Billon appeals to urban voters and the central regions, promising to modernise the economy and foster generational change.

Read more on BBC

"It will be my first time voting and seriously, I know he will win. Ouattara is too old, tired and didn't do anything for us. We need change, we need Billon."

Read more on BBC