billet French · revision 17025

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=derivation|attested=1359|origins=la bulla}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /bi.jɛ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''billet''' ''m'' (plural billets)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the masculine form of Old French [[m|fro|billette|t=letter; safe-conduct]] (1389).^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(GLLF 1989) “Billette” is usually explained as an alteration, after [[bille]], of Old French [[m|fro|bullette|t=seal; certificate]] (1299, 1371), a diminutive of [[bulle]] “seal”, from [[la|bulla|t=bubble; knob; seal]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary) Pierre Guiraud found the alteration unlikely and took “billet” as a diminutive of “bille” “piece of wood”, a small stick used as a label, as happened with [[étiquette]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005) A borrowing from [[it|biglietto]] is hard to accept, since the Italian word is recorded only in the second half of the 16th century, though earlier use is possible.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Rey dates it from 1359, the Grand Robert and the Petit Robert from 1459, Bloch and Wartburg give 1457.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) In the 15th century the preacher Menot wrote ''in fine billeti mei'' “at the end of my note”, that is, at the end of my tether.^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 16th century it was a royal order (''lettre de cachet'') and a magic formula.^(DHLF 1992) It spread in the 17th century with the fashion for short unsigned notes instead of formal letters: Richelet (1680) records ''billet doux'' and ''billet galant'', and ''billet'' was also a printed announcement of a wedding or funeral, later ''billet de faire part''.^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ From 1680 it was a ticket of admission, ''billet pour entrer à la Comédie'', a use later partly taken over by ''ticket'', ''prendre un billet de parterre'' “to fall flat” dates from 1838.^(DHLF 1992) The same year it was a written promise to pay, whence ''billet de banque'' in the letters patent of John Law's bank (2 May 1716), and soon simply a banknote.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(GLLF 1989) A ''billet de santé'' (1690) was a certificate, whence ''je vous fiche mon billet que…'' “I'll bet you anything that…” (1821).^(DHLF 1992)^(BHVF) In Quebec a ''billet de saison'' is a season ticket.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1359 – First record, according to Rey.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1389 – ''Billette'' “letter, safe-conduct”.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ * 1674 – A short letter.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1680 – ''Billet doux''; an admission ticket; a promissory note.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1716 – ''Billet de banque'', John Law.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1821 – ''Je vous fiche mon billet que…''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1838 – ''Prendre un billet de parterre''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|ticket]]: ''billet de train'', ''billet d'avion'', ''billet de loterie''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A [[m|en|banknote]]: ''un billet de cent euros''.^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # A short letter, a note: ''billet doux'', a love letter.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A short newspaper column on current events: ''le billet du jour''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(commerce)'' A promissory note: ''billet à ordre''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(familiar)'' ''Je te fiche mon billet que…'': I bet you that…^(DHLF 1992)^(BHVF)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[billetterie]]

+ * [[billettiste]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[bulle]]

+ * [[bulletin]]

+ * [[billette]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}