French word

billet

Pronunciation

IPA/bijɛ/

Meaning

  • masculine nounticket

Example

J'ai acheté un billet pour Lyon.

I bought a ticket to Lyon.

Illustration for billet (ticket)

More examples

Avant de monter, il faut composter ton billet.

Before boarding, you must validate your ticket.

Core concept

A compact written slip that serves as proof of entry, a short message, or a paper form of money.

Common phrases

  • acheter un billet

    buy a ticket

  • billet de train

    train ticket

  • billet aller-retour

    round-trip ticket

Similar words

ticket: A small ticket for short-distance travel by bus or subway.
carte: A reusable plastic or electronic card for travel or admission.
place: A ticket securing a seat at a concert or theater.
entrée: A ticket purchased for entry to an event or facility.

Definition in French

Document papier court attestant l'achat d'une place ou d'un accès (train, avion, spectacle) ; désigne aussi une note brève ou une coupure monétaire.

Word origin

The Old French word billet was built from bille, small piece, with -et, then acquired its modern document senses as small written slips took on different uses.

Usage tips

  • Billet does not usually mean a restaurant bill in French; that is l'addition, while billet can mean a banknote.

Other meanings

  • notenoun
  • banknotenoun

Related words

  • billetterieticket officenoun
  • billetterissue ticketsverb

Word lists with this word