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

bal traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle Dutch bal

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

via French bal

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchbaldance party, ball
2Late Latinballareto play, dance; to dance; present active...
3Ancient Greekβαλλίζωto dance, jump about
4Proto-Indo-EuropeangʷelH-to throw, reach, pierce; to hit by throwing

Words derived from “bal”

Every word from Proto-Uralic pele- →Every word from Proto-Samic pëlëtēk →Every word from Proto-Samic pëlājëtēk →