Menu
Find words

bill

/ˈbɪl/
nounverb

The BILL meaning includes a proposed law and banknote; BILL is a four-letter word worth 6 Scrabble points.

NWL Collins ENABLE

Noun 4 meanings

  1. A written list or inventory. (Now obsolete except in specific senses or set phrases; bill of lading, bill of goods, etc.)

  2. A document, originally sealed; a formal statement or official memorandum. (Now obsolete except with certain qualifying words; bill of health, bill of sale etc.)

  3. A draft of a law, presented to a legislature for enactment; a proposed or projected law.

  4. A piece of paper money; a banknote.

Verb 4 meanings

  1. To advertise by a bill or public notice.

  2. To charge; to send a bill to.

  3. to stroke bill against bill, with reference to doves; to caress in fondness

  4. To dig, chop, etc., with a bill.

Definitions: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA) via Kaikki/Wiktextract

Where it comes from

Etymology

From Middle English bille, from Anglo-Norman bille, from Old French bulle, from Medieval Latin bulla (“seal, sealed document”). Doublet of bull (“papal bull; bubble”) and bulla.

Similar and opposite words

Similar
measureaccountinvoicebroadsheetbroadsidecardcircularflier

BILL has two familiar modern senses: a proposed law and paper money. Older dictionary senses include a written inventory or formal document, but those uses mostly survive in set phrases such as “bill of sale.” Its tile value is compact: B supplies 3 points, while I and both L tiles contribute 1 each.

BILL at a glance

  • BILL is four letters long and scores 6 points in Scrabble.
  • The B tile is worth 3 points; I and each L are worth 1.
  • BILL has no anagrams in the game-word matches.
  • Twenty-four one-letter neighbors include WILL, KILL, BALL and BELL.
  • Twelve rhymes include WILL, STILL, SKILL and FULFILL.

What does BILL mean in modern use?

BILL’s meaning depends on context. In government writing, a bill is a draft law presented to a legislature; in cash, it is a banknote. Lawmakers debate a bill, while a cashier counts bills.

Older dictionary meanings are narrower. A bill could mean a written inventory or formal memorandum, but those senses are marked obsolete outside qualifying phrases. “Bill of lading,” “bill of goods,” “bill of health” and “bill of sale” preserve that older document sense.

BILL meaning, rhymes and one-letter neighbors

The BILL meaning also has a word-game contrast: it has no anagrams, yet 24 words sit one letter away. WILL, KILL, HILL and TILL keep the final three letters and replace B; BALL, BELL and BULL keep the first letter and change one middle tile. These are neighbors, not anagrams: each changes a letter rather than rearranging the same four.

Among four-letter words, 348 start with B, while 252 end in L. That makes the opening B a slightly less common structural clue than the ending L in those two pools. When matching a rack, test the unchanged letters first, then check whether the replacement fits the board.

BILL also rhymes with 12 words, including WILL, STILL, SKILL and FULFILL. The mix runs from short everyday words to a longer rhyme. BILL starts at 6 points before board premiums; its commonness does not guarantee acceptance in every game, so check your game’s lexicon when a challenge matters.

Rhymes with bill

All rhymes

One letter away

Change one letter, keep the rest

Questions people ask

Does BILL have any anagrams?
No, BILL has no anagrams in its game-word matches. It does have 24 one-letter neighbors, including WILL, KILL and BALL. Those are neighbors, not anagrams, because each changes a tile instead of rearranging the same B, I, L and L.
How many Scrabble points is BILL worth?
BILL is worth 6 points before any board bonuses. Its B is worth 3 points, and I plus the two L tiles are worth 1 point each. A premium square can change the play’s total, but not the value of the four tiles themselves.
What does BILL mean besides a proposed law?
BILL can also mean a piece of paper money, or banknote. Older senses include a written inventory or formal document; those uses are now mostly preserved in phrases such as “bill of lading” and “bill of sale.”

Keep going