Where does “ballenlikker” come from?
ballenlikker (Dutch) comes from Dutch ballen, from Dutch bal, from Middle Dutch bal, from Old Dutch bal, from Frankish ball, from Northern Sami bállu, from Northern Sami ballát, from Proto-Samic pëlājëtēk — to fear.
ballenlikker (Dutch): An ass-kisser; a suck-up
Ancestry of “ballenlikker”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Dutch | ballen | to play with a ball; to form into a ball or... |
| 2 | Dutch | bal | a ball or any object with such a shape; testicle,... |
| 3 | Middle Dutch | bal | ball , sphere; something worthless |
| 4 | Old Dutch | bal | — |
| 5 | Frankish | ball | — |
| 6 | Northern Sami | bállu | testicle, ball |
| 7 | Northern Sami | ballát | to become scared |
| 8 | Proto-Samic | pëlājëtēk | to become scared |
| 9 | Proto-Samic | pëlëtēk | to fear |
| 10 | Proto-Uralic | pele- | to fear |