bullion

Meanings

1. A bulk quantity of precious metal, usually gold or silver, assessed by weight and typically cast as ingots.
2. Base or uncurrent coin.
3. Showy metallic ornament, as of gold, silver, or copper, on bridles, saddles, etc.
4. A heavy twisted fringe, made of fine gold or silver wire and used for epaulets; also, any heavy twisted fringe whose cords are prominent.
5. The mark left on a glass piece from its attachment to a punty.

1. A surname.

Etymology

From Middle English bulloin, bullioun, from Anglo-Norman bullion, of obscure origin, perhaps from French bouillon, extending the sense to that of ‘melting’. Middle Dutch boelioen (“base metal”) seems to have come from the unrelated French billon.