Treasury bill

American  

Or treasury bill

noun

1. an obligation of the U.S. government represented by promissory notes in denominations ranging from $1000 to $1,000,000, with a maturity of about 90 days but bearing no interest, and sold periodically at a discount on the market.

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Treasury bill British  

noun

1. a short-term noninterest-bearing obligation issued by the Treasury, payable to bearer and maturing usually in three months, within which it is tradable on a discount basis on the open market

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Etymology

Origin of Treasury bill

First recorded in 1790–1800

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Treasury bill

However, the difference between 4% on a CD and something like 4.06% on a 1-year Treasury bill matters less.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 10, 2026

He’s sitting on a whopping $358 billion in cash equivalents at a time when Treasury bill rates are falling.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 22, 2026

The Federal Reserve’s Treasury bill purchases are seen as quantitative easing, keeping market yields lower into the first half of 2026.

From Barron's ● Dec. 14, 2025

Bank stocks fell on Monday, with some investors pointing to worries that a flood of Treasury bill issuance following the raising of the U.S. debt ceiling would drain liquidity from lenders.

From Reuters ● Jun. 6, 2023

The passage of the Independent Treasury bill has brought us fresh occasion of rejoicing and confidence.

From Quodlibet by Kennedy, John Pendleton