Meaning
A localized accumulation of pus in the skin, resulting from infection.
Etymology
Origin: Old English
From Middle English bile, büle (“boil, tumor”), from Old English bȳl, bȳle (“boil, swelling”), from Proto-Germanic *būlijō, *būlō (“boil”). Akin to Dutch buil (“boil, swelling”), German Beule (“boil, hump”), Icelandic beyla (“swelling, hump”). The expected form is bile; the rounding of the diphthong could be caused by the initial b- and/or by association with etymology 2.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Antonyms
condensefreeze
NYT Puzzle Appearances
Accepted in 21 recorded puzzles:
- 2026-09-19BGILNOT
- 2026-07-15OBEFILN
- 2026-05-14IBMKELO
- 2026-03-29BANICLO
- 2026-02-01BANIGLO
- 2025-10-28IBHLNOT
- 2025-10-17LBEIMOZ
- 2025-09-30IBTOLCE
- 2025-04-20LBOIEKX
- 2025-04-12BDLFEIO
- 2025-03-24OALRIDB
- 2024-12-29LBOIGMR
+9 earlier appearances in the archive.