The word "billups" is spelled with two syllables, /ˈbɪl.ʌps/. The first syllable is pronounced with a short "i" sound, as in "ill", and the second syllable is pronounced with a short "u" sound, as in "cup". This spelling follows the usual pattern for English words with the "il" combination, where the "i" is pronounced with a short vowel sound. The "up" in the second syllable is spelled with a "u" to indicate the short vowel sound, as opposed to the long "oo" sound spelled with a double "o" in words like "soup".