bullet

American  

[bool-it] / ˈbʊl ɪt /

noun

1. a small metal projectile, part of a cartridge, for firing from small arms.

2. a cartridge.

3. a small ball.

4. Printing. a heavy dot for marking paragraphs or otherwise calling attention to or itemizing particular sections of text, especially in display advertising.

5. Cards. an ace.

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verb (used without object)

bulleted, bulleting

1. to move swiftly.

idioms

1. bite the bullet, to force oneself to perform a painful, difficult task or to endure an unpleasant situation.

   We'll just have to bite the bullet and pay higher taxes.

bullet British  

/ ˈbʊlɪt /

noun

1. 1. a small metallic missile enclosed in a cartridge, used as the projectile of a gun, rifle, etc

   2. the entire cartridge

2. something resembling a bullet, esp in shape or effect

3. stock exchange a fixed interest security with a single maturity date

4. commerce a security that offers a fixed interest and matures on a fixed date

5. commerce

   1. the final repayment of a loan that repays the whole of the sum borrowed, as interim payments have been for interest only

   2. ( as modifier )

      a bullet loan

6. slang dismissal, sometimes without notice (esp in the phrases get or give the bullet )

7. printing See centred dot

8. See bite

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bullet More Idioms  

1. see bite the bullet; sweat bullets.

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Other Word Forms

• bullet-like adjective
• bulletless adjective
• bulletlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of bullet

1550–60; < Middle French boullette, equivalent to boulle ball ( bowl ² ) + -ette -ette

Example Sentences

Winds are slowly blowing sand into the 75-mile trench meant to hold a bullet train, while once-bustling worker camps have turned to ghost towns, one former employee said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

The UK government has been under pressure to bring in a statutory ban of smartphones in schools, although recent research suggested strict bans were not a "silver bullet".

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

California’s bullet train, now under construction in Fresno, may one day carry passengers from Los Angeles to San Francisco, a distance of about 400 miles.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 28, 2026

He has three years left in his term, and a lot of legacy bullet points he’d like to fill in.

From Slate • Mar. 17, 2026

They could use X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs to locate the bullet, reveal the damage to his ribs and vertebrae, and show that his organs and spinal cord were uninjured.

From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow

Related Words

• ammunition
• ball
• cartridge
• pellet
• projectile
• rocket
• round
• shot
• slug