billig

See also: Billig

Danish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bili/, [ˈb̥ili]

Etymology 1

Borrowed from German billig.

Adjective

billig (neuter billigt, plural and definite singular attributive billige)

1. cheap
2. (derogatory) slutty
3. (dated) fair

Inflection

Inflection of billig
	Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Indefinte common singular	billig	billigere	billigst2
Indefinite neuter singular	billigt	billigere	billigst2
Plural	billige	billigere	billigst2
Definite attributive1	billige	billigere	billigste
1) When an adjective is applied predicatively to something definite, the corresponding "indefinite" form is used. 2) The "indefinite" superlatives may not be used attributively.

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

billig

1. imperative of billige

Dutch

Adjective

billig (comparative billiger, superlative billigst)

1. Alternative form of billijk

Further reading

billig - instituut voor de Nederlandse taal

German

Etymology

From Middle High German billich, from Old High German billīh (“appropriate”), from a suffixed form of Proto-Germanic *biliz (“merciful, kind, decent, fair”).

Pronunciation

• (Northern Germany) IPA^(key): [ˈbɪlɪç]
• (Upper German) IPA^(key): [ˈbɪlɪkʰ]

• Audio Northern Germany:

  (file)

  ,

  Upper Germany:

  (file)

  ,

  Austria:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: bil‧lig

Adjective

billig (strong nominative masculine singular billiger, comparative billiger, superlative am billigsten)

1. (formal) appropriate, meet, fair

   Die Strafe ist billig und recht.

   The punishment is appropriate and just.

2. (informal) cheap (low-priced)

   Synonyms: (archaic) wohlfeil, günstig, preisgünstig, kostengünstig, niedrigpreisig, preiswert

   Antonyms: teuer, hochpreisig

   In Deutschland sind Lebensmittel billiger als in andern europäischen Ländern.

   In Germany, groceries are cheaper than in other European countries.

3. (low colloquial) cheap (of low quality, mediocre)

   Antonyms: edel, hochwertig

   Das Vorgehen der Regierung ist ein billiges Ablenkungsmanöver.

   The government's course of action is a cheap diversionary tactic.

Usage notes

The meaning “low-priced” only arose at the end of the 18^th century and has been very colloquial and frowned upon until the end of the 19^th century, the negative meaning having to arise even later after this word has attained domination in expressing the sense of cheapness in German. This word in the sense “cheap” is still known to be slightly colloquial, so, in formal speech, and because of its multiple senses, like günstig it is avoided in favour of circumscriptions or ungainly adjectives like preisgünstig and niedrigpreisig. Actually, in legal writing the original meaning is the expected one. The classical word for “cheap” is wohlfeil, the use of which now is restricted to chosen style.

Declension

Positive forms of billig

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter
predicative		er ist billig	sie ist billig	es ist billig	sie sind billig
strong declension (without article)	nominative	billiger	billige	billiges	billige
	genitive	billigen	billiger	billigen	billiger
	dative	billigem	billiger	billigem	billigen
	accusative	billigen	billige	billiges	billige
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der billige	die billige	das billige	die billigen
	genitive	des billigen	der billigen	des billigen	der billigen
	dative	dem billigen	der billigen	dem billigen	den billigen
	accusative	den billigen	die billige	das billige	die billigen
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein billiger	eine billige	ein billiges	(keine) billigen
	genitive	eines billigen	einer billigen	eines billigen	(keiner) billigen
	dative	einem billigen	einer billigen	einem billigen	(keinen) billigen
	accusative	einen billigen	eine billige	ein billiges	(keine) billigen

Comparative forms of billig

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter
predicative		er ist billiger	sie ist billiger	es ist billiger	sie sind billiger
strong declension (without article)	nominative	billigerer	billigere	billigeres	billigere
	genitive	billigeren	billigerer	billigeren	billigerer
	dative	billigerem	billigerer	billigerem	billigeren
	accusative	billigeren	billigere	billigeres	billigere
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der billigere	die billigere	das billigere	die billigeren
	genitive	des billigeren	der billigeren	des billigeren	der billigeren
	dative	dem billigeren	der billigeren	dem billigeren	den billigeren
	accusative	den billigeren	die billigere	das billigere	die billigeren
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein billigerer	eine billigere	ein billigeres	(keine) billigeren
	genitive	eines billigeren	einer billigeren	eines billigeren	(keiner) billigeren
	dative	einem billigeren	einer billigeren	einem billigeren	(keinen) billigeren
	accusative	einen billigeren	eine billigere	ein billigeres	(keine) billigeren

Superlative forms of billig

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter
predicative		er ist am billigsten	sie ist am billigsten	es ist am billigsten	sie sind am billigsten
strong declension (without article)	nominative	billigster	billigste	billigstes	billigste
	genitive	billigsten	billigster	billigsten	billigster
	dative	billigstem	billigster	billigstem	billigsten
	accusative	billigsten	billigste	billigstes	billigste
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der billigste	die billigste	das billigste	die billigsten
	genitive	des billigsten	der billigsten	des billigsten	der billigsten
	dative	dem billigsten	der billigsten	dem billigsten	den billigsten
	accusative	den billigsten	die billigste	das billigste	die billigsten
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein billigster	eine billigste	ein billigstes	(keine) billigsten
	genitive	eines billigsten	einer billigsten	eines billigsten	(keiner) billigsten
	dative	einem billigsten	einer billigsten	einem billigsten	(keinen) billigsten
	accusative	einen billigsten	eine billigste	ein billigstes	(keine) billigsten

Derived terms

• spottbillig

Further reading

• “billig” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “billig” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
• “billig” in Duden online

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Middle Low German billich.

Adjective

billig (neuter singular billig, definite singular and plural billige, comparative billigere, indefinite plural billigst, definite plural billigste)

1. cheap, inexpensive

Antonyms

• dyr

References

• “billig” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Middle Low German billich.

Adjective

billig (neuter singular billig, definite singular and plural billige, comparative billigare, indefinite plural billigast, definite plural billigaste)

1. alternative form of billeg

References

• “billig” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Swedish

Etymology

From Middle Low German billik, billich. Compare German billig and Dutch billijk.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Adjective

billig (comparative billigare, superlative billigast)

1. cheap; of low price, of little worth

   Antonym: dyr

2. cheap, easy; requiring little effort
3. (archaic) reasonable, fair

   Antonym: obillig

   en billig begäran ― a reasonable request

   det är rätt och billigt ― that is fair and square

4. (obsolete) honest; decent; honorable
   • 1732-33, Olof von Dalin, Then Swänska Argus :

     Du måste och tilstå sielf, min billiga Läsare, at det är nödigt i wår tid at liuga Sanningen i Folck:

Usage notes

The original sense was "fair" or "reasonable". Thus ett billigt pris originally meant "a fair price" as opposed to "a low price". Since this sense is now dated (outside of legal contexts), the term låga priser ("low prices") is by many preferred to billiga priser.

Declension

Inflection of billig
Indefinite	Positive	Comparative	Superlative2
Common singular	billig	billigare	billigast
Neuter singular	billigt	billigare	billigast
Plural	billiga	billigare	billigast
Masculine plural3	billige	billigare	billigast
Definite	Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Masculine singular1	billige	billigare	billigaste
All	billiga	billigare	billigaste
1) Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine. 2) The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative. 3) Dated or archaic

Related terms

• billighet

References

• billig in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• billig in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• billig in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)