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bil·liard

(bĭlyərd)

adj.

Of, relating to, or used in billiards.

See carom.

bil·liards

(bĭlyərdz)

pl.n. (used with a sing. verb)

1. A game played on a rectangular cloth-covered table with raised cushioned edges, in which a cue is used to hit three small, hard balls against one another or the side cushions of the table.

2. One of several similar games, such as pool.

[French billard, from bille, log; see BILLET².]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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