bullet

UK: /ˈbʊlɪt/ US: /ˈbʊlɪt/ ,(bŏŏl′it)

Inflections of 'bullet' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

bullets

v 3rd person singular

bulleting

v pres p

bulleted

v past

bulleted

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

bul•let /ˈbʊlɪt/  n. [countable]

1. Military a small piece of metal fired from a gun:
   One bullet struck an innocent bystander.

Idioms

2. Idioms bite the bullet, to force oneself to perform a painful task, or to endure an unpleasant situation:
   bit the bullet and went in to see the boss, expecting to be fired.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

bul•let  (bŏŏl′it), n., v., -let•ed, -let•ing. 
n. 

1. Military a small metal projectile, part of a cartridge, for firing from small arms. See diag. under cartridge. 
2. Military a cartridge.
3. a small ball.
4. Printing a heavy dot for marking paragraphs or otherwise calling attention to or itemizing particular sections of text, esp. in display advertising.
5. Games [Cards.] an ace.
6. Idioms bite the bullet, to force oneself to perform a painful, difficult task or to endure an unpleasant situation:
   We'll just have to bite the bullet and pay higher taxes.

v.i. 

7. to move swiftly.

• Middle French boullette, equivalent. to boulle ball (see bowl²) + -ette -ette
• 1550–60

bul′let•less, adj. 
bul′let•like′, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

bullet / ˈbʊlɪt/ noun

1. a small metallic missile enclosed in a cartridge, used as the projectile of a gun, rifle, etc
2. the entire cartridge
3. something resembling a bullet, esp in shape or effect
4. a fixed interest security with a single maturity date
5. the final repayment of a loan that repays the whole of the sum borrowed, as interim payments have been for interest only
6. (as modifier): a bullet loan

Etymology: 16th Century: from French boulette, diminutive of boule ball; see bowl²