ENGLISH
REFERENCE

billy

n. uncountable
C2 Proficiency US //ˈbɪɫi// UK //bˈɪli// bil·ly Archaic Slang
Definition

n. a slang name for the drug amphetamine. People use this word in very casual or street settings.

n. a slang term for amphetamine, typically used in the United Kingdom and Australia. Highly informal in register and restricted to colloquial or drug-related contexts.


SIMPLE

He was arrested for carrying a small bag of billy.

CONTEXTUAL

The police found several grams of billy hidden in the back of the suspect's vehicle during the search.

COMPLEX

While the term is widely recognised in certain subcultures, using billy in a formal setting would be entirely inappropriate due to its strong association with illegal substance use.

Origin

Diminutive and pet-form; from Bill + -y.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Usage

Uncountable when referring to the substance; primarily British and Australian slang.

Word family

Last updated May 2, 2026