Bullet is a short, pointed item or note, or a small round projectile. In writing, it refers to a item in a bulleted list; in firearms, it denotes the projectile. The word conveys concise, focused information or a compact object, and it is widely used in technical, administrative, and everyday contexts.
- US: non-rhotic? US is rhotic; you’ll hear a stronger /r/ in adjacent words but not in bullet itself. The vowel /ʊ/ is short and lax, with a slightly longer duration before /l/. - UK: typical lighter tongue movement; keep the /t/ crisp; you may hear a very subtle t-glottalization in some accents, but standard RP keeps a clear /t/. - AU: similar to US with slightly broader, more relaxed pronunciation; watch for connected speech where /l/ and /ɪ/ blend; maintain the /t/ clarity.
"Please add a bullet point under the benefits section."
"The soldier loaded a bullet into the chamber."
"She attached a bulleted list to summarize the key findings."
"He fired a single bullet from the gun, then escaped.”"
Bullet comes from the Middle English bulletin, which itself derives from bulle or bolle meaning ‘small ball’ from Old French bulle ‘ball, bag’ and ultimately from the Latin bulla ‘bubble’ or bulla ‘bubble, knob.’ The form bullet as a small ball used in firearms emerged in early modern English with the shift from lead slugs to shaped bullets. By the 18th century, bullet also acquired figurative meanings: a concise item in lists (modern usage) and, in technology and journalism, a short, pointed piece of information. The sense of a round projectile aligns with the physical shape; the sense of a list item aligns with the idea of a concise, pointed point. First known use as a firearm term appears in 14th–15th century texts via French military influence; the list-related sense appears later as printed materials adopted bulleted lists in the 20th century with the rise of word processors and structured documents.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "Bullet" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "Bullet" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Bullet" and show contrast in usage.
📚 Vocabulary tip: Learning synonyms and antonyms helps you understand nuanced differences in meaning and improves your word choice in speaking and writing.
Words that rhyme with "Bullet"
-let sounds
-me) sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
Pronounce as /ˈbʊl.ɪt/. Stress is on the first syllable. The /ʊ/ is the short “uh” as in luck, followed by an /l/ and a light /ɪ/ in the second syllable. End with a clear /t/. In careful speech you’ll hear a crisp stop at the end. Audio reference: [listen to native speaker samples on Forvo or YouGlish].
Common errors include turning the first syllable into a reduced vowel (like /bə/ or /bəl/ in rapid speech) and blending the /l/ and /ɪ/ too tightly, producing /ˈbʊlət/ or /ˈbʊlɪt/ with weak /l/ clarity. To correct, hold the /ˈbʊl/ chunk briefly before releasing a crisp /ɪ/ and finishing with a strong /t/. Practice with minimal pairs like ‘bullet’ vs ‘bull it’ to isolate the difference.
In US, UK, and AU all share /ˈbʊl.ɪt/. The main differences are rhoticity and vowel length quality in fast connected speech. US and AU tend to be non-rhoticly alveolar with a slightly sharper /t/ release; UK may show minor vowel shortening in rapid speech and a lighter /t/ in some regions. Overall, the nucleus /ʊ/ and /ɪ/ remain stable across accents; emphasis stays on the first syllable.
The challenge lies in the short, lax vowels /ʊ/ and /ɪ/ in close succession and the final /t/ in fast speech, which can produce a soft or unreleased stop.Coarticulation with the /l/ creates a tricky tongue posture: the tongue must be high and front for /ʊ/ then quickly move to /l/ and /ɪ/. Additionally, native speakers may reduce the second syllable in casual speech, making the word sound like /ˈbʊlɪ/ without the final /t/.
Unique question: Is the 'bullet' a single unit or two syllables in rapid speech? Answer: It remains two syllables in careful articulation (/ˈbʊl.ɪt/). In quick speaking you may hear a quicker transition and a softer /t/ or even a slight flap in some dialects, but standard pronunciation preserves the two-syllable structure and the clear /t/ at the end.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "Bullet"!
- Shadowing: listen to a native sentence containing ‘bullet’ and imitate exactly, including intonation. - Minimal pairs: bullet vs bill it, bullet vs bulld it (if possible) to isolate /ʊ/ vs /ɪ/ and /t/ clarity. - Rhythm: practice placing bullet on beat with surrounding words to align stress. - Stress: ensure primary stress on the first syllable; keep second syllable reduced but audible. - Recording: record yourself saying several sentences with ‘bullet’; compare to a native sample. - Context practice: read bullets in a report aloud with natural emphasis. - Speed progression: start slow, add a second sentence, then speed up while keeping accuracy.
No related words found
