# billig
## Danish
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /bili/, [ˈb̥ili]

### Etymology 1

Borrowed from German billig.

#### Adjective

billig (neuter billigt, plural and definite singular attributive billige)
* cheap
* (derogatory) slutty
* (dated) fair

##### Inflection
### Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

#### Verb

billig
* imperative of billige

## Dutch
### Adjective

billig (comparative billiger, superlative billigst)
* 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: [ˈbɪlɪç]
** Audio (Northern Germany):(file)
* (Upper German) IPA: [ˈbɪlɪkʰ]
** Audio (Upper German):(file)
** Audio (Austria):(file)
* Hyphenation: bil‧lig

### Adjective

billig (strong nominative masculine singular billiger, comparative billiger, superlative am billigsten)
* (formal) appropriate, meet, fair
    Die Strafe ist billig und recht.The punishment is appropriate and just.
* (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.
* (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 18th century and has been very colloquial and frowned upon until the end of the 19th 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.

#### 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)
* 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)
* 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)
* cheap; of low price, of little worth
    Antonym: dyr
* cheap, easy; requiring little effort
* (archaic) reasonable, fair
    Antonym: obillig
    en billig begäran ― a reasonable request
    det är rätt och billigt ― that is fair and square
* (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.

#### Related terms

* billighet

### References

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