Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1976 (SND Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
BILLION, n. A nodule, gen. of a calcareous or silicaceous substance, formed by concretion in a sediment of shale.Ayr. 1896 Trans. Inv. Scientific Soc. V. 103:
In the muddy sands there are sometimes got those curious concretions called crackers or fairy stones, and in Ayrshire billions, probably from the Gaelic builgein, a bubble or blister. In the massive muds these concretions take the form of blisters crowded together, or sometimes as single spheres.
[Orig. uncertain. ? Ad. Eng. bullion, a knob or lump (of metal).]
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Billion n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 11 Oct 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/snd00087978>