billing

American  

[bil-ing] / ˈbɪl ɪŋ /

noun

1. the relative position in which a performer or act is listed on handbills, posters, etc..

   A star usually receives billing above the title of the play.

2. advertising; publicity.

   The show was a sellout weeks ahead of the opening because of advance billing.

3. the amount of business done by a firm, especially an advertising agency, within a specified period of time.

4. an act or instance of preparing or sending out a bill or invoice.

5. the total amount of the cost of goods or services billed to a customer, usually covering purchases made or services rendered within a specified period of time.

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billing British  

/ ˈbɪlɪŋ /

noun

1. theatre the relative importance of a performer or act as reflected in the prominence given in programmes, advertisements, etc

2. public notice or advertising (esp in the phrase advance billing )

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Etymology

Origin of billing

First recorded in 1870–75; bill ¹ + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

TAE officials plan to pick a site and start construction this year for what they’re billing as a “utility-scale fusion power plant.”

From MarketWatch • May 18, 2026

Sports is expected to get top billing at this week’s upfront presentations, a must-buy for brands because of its massive scale for live audiences.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026

A then-record signing from Norwich in a deal rising to £38m in 2021, the playmaker struggled to live up to the billing and scored just four goals in 38 games in his debut season.

From BBC • May 7, 2026

The Thunder have lived up to their championship billing; they were the only team to sweep their first-round playoff series.

From Los Angeles Times • May 3, 2026

I developed a system of billing and, increasingly, my columns of figures began to correspond to actual transactions.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Related Words

• attention
• clout
• commercial
• distribution
• fame
• hoopla
• hype
• noise
• notoriety
• propaganda