billiards

== English == === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈbɪlɪədz/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˈbɪl.jɚdz/ Rhymes: -ɪlɪədz, -ɪljə(ɹ)dz Hyphenation: bil‧liards === Etymology 1 === From French billard, originally referring to the wooden cue stick, diminutive of Old French bille (“log, tree trunk”), from Vulgar Latin *bilia, probably of Gaulish origin (compare Old Irish bile (“large tree, tree trunk”)), from Proto-Celtic *belyos (“tree”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰolh₃yos (“leaf”), from *bʰleh₃- (“blossom, flower”). ==== Noun ==== billiards (uncountable) (games, British) A two-player cue sport played with two cue balls and one red ball, on a snooker sized table. Synonym: English billiards (games, US) Any of various games played on a tabletop, usually with several balls, one or more of which is hit by a cue. ===== Synonyms ===== See also Thesaurus:cue sport ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Descendants ===== → Irish: billéardaí → Welsh: biliards ===== Translations ===== ===== See also ===== pool snooker === Etymology 2 === ==== Noun ==== billiards plural of billiard