1. Currency: The term "bill" to mean a piece of paper money or a document representing a debt or a promise to pay comes from the Old French word "bille" or "bulla," meaning a document sealed with a seal. These documents were often issued by merchants or governments as certificates of debt or exchange, and they evolved into what we now know as banknotes or currency bills.
2. Invoice: In the context of an invoice or a bill of sale, the word "bill" likely comes from the Old Norse word "bylja" or the Anglo-Saxon word "bill," both of which meant an axe- or sword-shaped weapon. The connection to an invoice might stem from the historical practice of tallying debts and obligations by marking notches on a stick or a tally stick, which resembled an axe or sword.
3. Legislation: In the context of a legislative bill, the term comes from the Middle English word "bille," which was derived from the Old French word "bille" or "bulla." In this sense, a bill refers to a draft of a proposed law or legislation presented to a legislative body for consideration and approval.
4. Ornithology: In the field of ornithology or birdwatching, the word "bill" refers to the beak of a bird. It comes from the Old English word "bile," which was used to describe the beak or projecting parts of a bird's head.
These different meanings of the word "bill" have diverse historical origins and reflect its usage across different domains and contexts.