Etymology Explorer › Dutch

Where does “bal” come from?

bal (Dutch) comes from Middle Dutch bal, from Old Dutch bal, from Frankish ball, from Northern Sami bállu, from Northern Sami ballát, from Proto-Samic pëlājëtēk, from Proto-Samic pëlëtēk, from Proto-Uralic pele- — to fear.

bal (Dutch): a ball or any object with such a shape; testicle,...

Definitions

  1. a ball or any object with such a shape; testicle,...

Ancestry of “bal”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Dutchbalball , sphere; something worthless
2Old Dutchbal—
3Frankishball—
4Northern Samibállutesticle, ball
5Northern Samiballátto become scared
6Proto-Samicpëlājëtēkto become scared
7Proto-Samicpëlëtēkto fear
8Proto-Uralicpele-to fear

Words derived from “bal”

  • korfball
  • kerstbal
  • balpen
  • gehaktbal
  • oogbal
  • balspel
  • ballentent
  • uilenbal
  • ballenspel
  • honkbal
  • ballenjongen
  • voetbal
  • eierbal
  • korfbal
  • trefbal
  • nasibal
  • ballenknijper
  • sneeuwballengevecht
  • ballenlikker
  • sambabal
  • corpsbal
  • sneeuwbal
  • haarbal
  • hoekbal
Every word from Proto-Uralic pele- →