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Billet-doux

[bill-ay-DOO]

Part of speech: noun

Origin: French, late 17th century

1.

A love letter.

Examples of Billet-doux in a sentence

"I saved every billet-doux I exchanged with my college girlfriend."

"She left only a box of billets-doux from an unknown beau."

About Billet-doux

Billet-doux developed in French, and translates simply to "sweet note." If you've ever slipped a crush a love letter, then you were handing them a billet-doux.

Did you Know?

Love letters are not just for plot twists in Regency dramas — they also have their place in the White House. Several U.S. Presidents were known for penning billets-doux to their wives and significant others, including John Adams, Woodrow Wilson, and Ronald Reagan.

illustration Billet-doux

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