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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Smoke billows during Israeli shelling on the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Kila. Andrea Mitchell, NBC News, 15 Oct. 2024 Just like the updrafts, this feeds the fire with fresh, oxygenated air; unlike updrafts, downbursts cause gusts that billow out away from the center of the fire, leading it to spread rapidly in multiple directions at once. Ned Kleiner, Los Angeles Times, 22 Sep. 2024
Verb
Wildfire Smoke Is a ‘Public Health Threat’ That Can Have Lasting Impacts, Experts Say Images show firefighters battling intense flames, cars ablaze, and smoke billowing in the sky. Maya Chung, TIME, 10 Dec. 2024 Smoke was billowing out but headed in the opposite direction of our flight pattern, giving us a clear view of the volcano. Jaclyn Greenberg, WIRED, 5 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for billow 

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 13 Dec. 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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