Where does “airball” come from?

airball (English) comes from English Ball, from Middle English bal, from Old English beall, from English beal, from Old English hyll, from Albanian hulli, from Proto-Germanic hulliz, from Proto-Indo-European kl̥Hnís — to rise, to be tall; hill.

airball (English): A shot that misses the backboard, rim and net...

Definitions

  1. A shot that misses the backboard, rim and net...

Ancestry of “airball”, step by step

airball traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Ball

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishBallsurname
2Middle EnglishbalA ball; A rounded or spherical lump or bump,...
3Old Englishbeallball
4EnglishbealA small inflammatory tumor; pustule; To gather...
5Old Englishhyllhill
6Albanianhullifurrow
7Proto-Germanichullizhill
8Proto-Indo-Europeankl̥Hníshill
9Proto-Indo-EuropeankelH-to rise, to be tall; hill

via English aïr

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishaïr
2Middle Englishaireair
3Old Frenchairair mixture of gases that make up the earth's atmosphere
4Latināērair
5Ancient Greekἀήρmist; air; wind
6Ancient Greekauhḗr
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kelH-Every word from Proto-Indo-European kl̥HnísEvery word from Proto-Germanic hulliz