A large ocean wave, or to rise and swell in billows; to surge or bulge outward like waves.
From Old Norse 'bylgja' (wave), entering English through Scandinavian languages. The word's nautical origin reflects Viking seafaring influence on English vocabulary.
Billow entered English from Norwegian and Danish—it's a word that shows how centuries of contact with Scandinavian seafarers literally shaped English's maritime vocabulary.
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