billow

1 of 2

noun

bil·​low ˈbi-(ˌ)lō How to pronounce billow (audio)
1
: wave
especially : a great wave or surge of water
the rolling billows of the sea
2
: a rolling mass (as of flame or smoke) that resembles a high wave
Billows of smoke poured out of the building.
billows of fog
billowy adjective

billow

2 of 2

verb

billowed; billowing; billows

intransitive verb

1
: to rise or roll in waves or surges
the billowing sea
2
: to bulge or swell out (as through action of the wind)
billowing clouds
… the flags … billowed out in pride …G. B. Oxnam

transitive verb

: to cause to billow
a field of burning grass billowing thick black clouds of smoke into the skyDonald Windham

Examples of billow in a Sentence

Noun Billows of smoke poured out of the burning building. the rolling billows of the sea Verb the curtains in the open windows billowed in the summer wind
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
For moviegoers, though, that’s a long time to watch a pillar of fire billow toward the sky without matching sound. Alissa Wilkinson, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2024 Her exquisite pink-ombré silk organza skirt partners with her movement and billows with tiers of flounce. Fawnia Soo Hoo, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Feb. 2024 Smoke billows from buildings in Rafah during the early morning following strikes overnight. NBC News, 12 Feb. 2024 Smoke billows during Israeli bombardment over Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on February 12, 2024. Helen Regan, CNN, 12 Feb. 2024 All of the shades blend, billow and balloon upward in a watercolor dreamscape, and a handful of planes fly through, the scene suddenly transposed onto the young Jiro’s awed face. Maya Phillips, New York Times, 8 Dec. 2023 In Delmas, billows of black smoke from burning tires blanketed the sky while a major road was blocked by an oversize truck. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 6 Feb. 2024 Smoke billows over the northern Gaza Strip during Israeli bombardment today. Hala Gorani, NBC News, 15 Dec. 2023 Lava flow slows, but Icelandic towns not in the clear yet Local residents watch smoke billow from a volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula on Tuesday. Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 20 Dec. 2023
Verb
Again, Ford continued to drive the bus with smoke billowing past his face. Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News, 7 Mar. 2024 The picture featured Apfel in a billowing black dress with glittering gold details, a large statement collar, and a pair of her signature round glasses. Glamour, 2 Mar. 2024 Chewy, grand, integrated billowing flavors that include red and dark plums and raspberries mid palate and butterscotch brownies on the finish. Tom Mullen, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024 Thick black smoke billowing from a large grass fire cut visibility and caused traffic to back up Friday afternoon along Interstate 435 on Kansas City’s south side. Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 23 Feb. 2024 On the creamy satin slopes of a billowing wedding dress, a (rather obviously CG-rendered) ant forges a path before being swatted out of existence. Guy Lodge, Variety, 21 Feb. 2024 Photos and video of the aftermath of the blast show a huge plume of smoke billowing from the leveled home with debris scattered into the street. Christal Hayes, CNN, 17 Feb. 2024 Crowds of 20-somethings spilled out of the homey restaurant in Manhattan’s Koreatown, where steam billowed from stone bowls of soondubu jigae in a dining room ornamented with paper lanterns and musical instruments. Priya Krishna, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2024 Scenes where the stars—Matt Damon, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow—wear billowing linen shirts while sailing off the coast of Naples. Hazlitt, 28 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'billow.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Old Norse bylgja; akin to Old High German balg bag — more at belly

First Known Use

Noun

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1592, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of billow was in 1552

Dictionary Entries Near billow

Cite this Entry

“Billow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/billow. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

billow

1 of 2 noun
bil·​low ˈbil-ō How to pronounce billow (audio)
1
: wave entry 2 sense 1
especially : a large wave
2
: a rolling mass like a high wave
billows of smoke

billow

2 of 2 verb
1
: to rise or roll in waves
the billowing ocean
2
: to bulge or swell out
sails billowing in the breeze

More from Merriam-Webster on billow

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