billet
BIL-it
/ˈbɪl.ɪt/
To assign civilian housing or temporary quarters to military personnel or displaced emergency workers; or the quartering order/place itself.
Specific to lodging individuals in non-traditional or private residential buildings during an emergency or campaign.
The story behind the word. Originally from French 'billete' (diminutive of 'bille', meaning ticket or note). In the 16th century, soldiers were given official written tickets (billets) ordering civilian householders to provide them room and board.
Word relationships
- quarter: 'Quarter' is a broader term for providing living space; 'billet' often refers to placing personnel in non-military/civilian spaces.
- lodge: 'Lodge' is a general term for providing temporary accommodation without military or forced assignment nuances.
- evict: 'Evict' means removing someone forcibly from living quarters.
Commonly confused with
- bullet: A bullet is ammunition; a billet is an order or place for housing personnel.
Word family
- billeting (noun): The civilian accommodation or lodging of military personnel or emergency workers.
Collocations
- billet troops
- billet soldiers
- temporary billet
- assigned billet
Example sentences
- "During the blizzard response, national guard troops were billeted in local school auditoriums and community centers." Military emergency response
- "The government issued formal notes to billet incoming rescue workers in private homes throughout the county." Historical wartime administration
Memory hook
Give a soldier a BILL-et (ticket) for his bed. A ticket for a bed.
When not to use
Do not use for reserving a standard room at a commercial resort on a personal vacation.
Fun facts
- The Third Amendment to the US Constitution (prohibiting quartering soldiers in private homes without consent) directly addresses forced billeting.
Explore more words
Also appears in
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.