Link Centre Dictionary

billiards

bil·liards

UK/ˈbɪlɪədz/ US/ˈbɪl.jɚdz/ uncommon uk us

noun

1.

any of several games played on rectangular cloth-covered table (with cushioned edges) in which long tapering cue sticks are used to propel ivory (or composition) balls

Origin

From French billard, originally referring to the wooden cue stick, diminutive of Old French bille (“log, tree trunk”), from Vulgar Latin *bilia, probably of Gaulish origin (compare Old Irish bile (“large tree, tree trunk”)), from Proto-Celtic *belyos (“tree”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰolh₃yos (“leaf”), from *bʰleh₃- (“blossom, flower”).

Phrases

  • bar billiards
  • billiards room
  • carambole billiards
  • carom billiards
  • lawn billiards
  • pocket billiards
  • pyramid billiards
  • Russian billiards

Related words

Broader terms

Part of

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.