bullet

The word “bullet” means a small metal projectile fired from a gun. In plain terms, either the metal projectile fired from a gun, or the dot used to mark a list item.

“Bullet” is pronounced BUU-liht (/ˈbʊlɪt/ in IPA).

Here is “bullet” used in a sentence: “The bullet lodged in the wooden door frame.”

Depending on how it is used, “bullet” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “bullet” comes from Old French. From Old French boulette, diminutive of boule, "ball" — the projectile is named after its rounded shape.

“Bullet” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Bullet” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a small metal projectile fired from a gun.

A bullet is only the small metal projectile fired from a gun. A cartridge is the whole unit, combining the bullet with the casing, gunpowder, and primer, so people often say 'bullet' loosely when they mean the complete round.

A bullet point is a small dot or symbol used to mark each item in a list, helping to separate and organise short pieces of information. The 'bullet' here is the mark itself, not the text beside it.

To 'bite the bullet' means to force yourself to do something difficult or unpleasant, while to 'dodge a bullet' means to narrowly avoid a danger or problem. Both draw on the image of the metal projectile fired from a gun.

When talking about a list, both 'bullet' and 'bullet point' are correct for the mark. 'Bullet point' is the fuller, clearer term, while 'bullet' alone is common once the context is obvious.