bulletin English · revision 39581

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1651, J. Saint-Amard's translation of F. Micanzio|origins=la bulla}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈbʊl.ə.tən/, /ˈbʊl.əʔ.n̩/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|bulletin]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(Collins 2023)^(AHD 2024) which was modelled on [[it|bullettino]] (also [[m|it|bollettino]]), a note, pass or bill of health,^(Etymonline)^(OED 2026)^(Hoad 1986)^(Barnhart 1988) a diminutive of [[m|it|bulletta|t=passport, voting slip, lottery ticket]].^(Hoad 1986)^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) That noun is itself a diminutive of [[la-med|bulla|t=papal edict, seal, document]], in classical Latin a round object or bubble, the source of [[bull]] "a papal edict".^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(Klein 1966) Ayto accordingly describes a bulletin as an edict made small twice over.^(Ayto 2005) Barnhart derives the French word from [[m|fro|bullette|t=certificate]].^(Barnhart 1988) The 17th-century uses were borrowed directly from Italian, while the modern word, first found in the second half of the 18th century, comes from French;^(OED 2026)^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002)^(Weekley 1921) John Evelyn used the Italian word itself in 1645, for a bill of health.^(OED 2026) The Italian diminutive was also briefly borrowed into English in the 17th century as [[bullet]], a voting ball.^(Ayto 2005)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A short note or memorandum: 1651, in J. Saint-Amard's translation of F. Micanzio's life of Father Paul Sarpi.^(OED 2026) Barnhart has the same year for the sense "official certificate", which the OED records in 1673, for a warrant of appointment to an office.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 2026)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word was borrowed anew from French in the 18th century.^(OED 2026)^(Weekley 1921) Horace Walpole used it in 1765 for an official statement on the health of a sick person, and Merriam-Webster and Etymonline also date the modern word to 1765.^(OED 2026)^(MWU 2024)^(Etymonline) A short official account of public news, from 1791 in Edmund Burke, came to mean around 1800 especially a report sent home by a commander from the front;^(OED 2026)^(Barnhart 1988) Etymonline and Weekley credit Napoleon's war bulletins with popularizing it, which gave the proverbial ''as false as a bulletin''.^(Etymonline)^(Weekley 1921) Radio brought the news bulletin in 1925.^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline) ''Bulletin board'' is recorded from 1831, and in computing from 1979.^(Etymonline) The verb, to announce by bulletin, is dated 1812 by Merriam-Webster and 1838 by the OED.^(MWU 2024)^(OED 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1645 – Italian ''bulletino'' in English (Evelyn).^(OED 2026)

+ * 1651 – a short note; an official certificate.^(OED 2026)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1673 – a warrant of appointment (obsolete).^(OED 2026)

+ * 1765 – a statement on the health of a sick person.^(OED 2026)^(MWU 2024)

+ * 1791 – a short official report of public news (Burke).^(OED 2026)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1812 – the verb, to announce by bulletin;^(MWU 2024) 1838 in the OED.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1831 – ''bulletin board''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1925 – a broadcast news report.^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1979 – a computer bulletin board.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A short official [[statement]] on a matter of public interest, such as the health of a well-known person: ''The palace issued a bulletin on the king's recovery.''^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024)

+ # A short [[broadcast]] summary of the news.^(Collins 2023)^(OED 2026)

+ # A [[periodical]] published by a society, institution or other organization.^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To announce by means of a bulletin.^(Collins 2023)^(OED 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[bulletin board]]

+ * [[all-points bulletin]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[bull]]

+ * [[bullet]]

+ * [[billet]]

+ * [[ballot]]

+ * [[bill]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}