An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language, B (1891)
by Friedrich Kluge, translated by John Francis Davis
Bulle
Friedrich Kluge2506534An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language, B — Bulle1891John Francis Davis

Bulle (1.), m., ‘bull’ MidHG. only, from the equiv. LG. bulle; comp. Du. bul, bol, E. bull (in AS. only the deriv. bulluca, ‘bullock,’ appears); akin to OIc. bole, ‘bull’; Lith. bullus is not a cognate; root bel in bellen?. Bulle (2.), f., ‘bottle,’ first occurs at a late period in ModHG., corrupted from buttel, Fr. bouteille. Bulle (3.), f., ‘bull, papal edict,’ from MidHG. bulle, f, ‘seal, document, bull’ AS. bulle, E. bull, ModFr. bulle). From Lat. bulla, lit. ‘‘water bubble,’ then ‘boss, knob (on a door),’ finally ‘a ball attached as a seal to documents’; whence also Bill.