An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Bulle

by Friedrich Kluge

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.