bulla

[ bool-uh, buhl-uh ]

noun

, plural bul·lae [bool, -ee, buhl, -ee].

1. a seal attached to an official document, as a papal bull.
2. an ancient Roman pendant, consisting of a rounded box containing an amulet.
3. Pathology. a large vesicle.
4. Zoology. a blisterlike or bubblelike prominence of a bone, as that of the tympanic bone in the skull of certain mammals.

bulla

/ ˈbʌlə; ˈbʊlə /

noun

1. a leaden seal affixed to a papal bull, having a representation of Saints Peter and Paul on one side and the name of the reigning pope on the other
2. an ancient Roman rounded metal or leather box containing an amulet, worn around the neck
3. pathol another word for blister
4. anatomy a rounded bony projection

Word History and Origins

Origin of bulla¹

1840–50; < Latin: bubble, also stud, boss, knob (whence Medieval Latin bulla official seal)

Word History and Origins

Origin of bulla¹

C19: from Latin: round object, bubble

Example Sentences

People who have emphysema also are likely to develop heart problems, a collapsed lung and large empty spaces or “bullae” in the lungs.

From Los Angeles Times

They included cuneiform tablets, ancient cylinder seals and clay seal impressions known as bullae.

From New York Times

The store sold everyday goods and featured a large brick oven that was used to make its famous bulla cakes, flavorful flat pastries made with flour, ginger and molasses.

From Washington Post

They included 4,000-year-old cuneiform tablets, slivers of papyrus, cylinder seals and clay bullae — all relics from ancient Mesopotamia that showcased some of the earliest forms of written communication.

From New York Times

In ancient times, a seal stamp, or bulla, was used to authenticate documents or items.

From Fox News

Related Words

• abscess
• cyst
• pimple
• sore
• ulcer
• welt