bill of health
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A document, duly signed by the proper authorities, to certify that when the ship set sail no infectious disorder existed in
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “bill of health” mean?
A document, duly signed by the proper authorities, to certify that when the ship set sail no infectious disorder existed in
Is “bill of health” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.