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

The buyback operations allow the Treasury to buy older off‑the‑run bonds and replace them with Treasury bill issuance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026

Tether, a stablecoin issuer, holds approximately 2% of the total Treasury bill supply, making it a significant nonsovereign holder.

From Barron's ● Oct. 31, 2025

Smart contracts can be buggy; custodial wallets can fail; and the underlying asset — whether a Treasury bill or a rental house — still carries its traditional risks.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 15, 2025

Treasury bill holdings above 5%, while fewer car accidents and a quiet Atlantic hurricane season respectively bolstered the Geico car insurer and reinsurance businesses.

From Reuters ● Nov. 4, 2023

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

From Quodlibet by John Pendleton Kennedy