Where does “ball” come from?
ball (English) comes from Middle 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.
ball (English): A solid or hollow sphere, or roughly spherical...
Definitions
- A solid or hollow sphere, or roughly spherical...
Ancestry of “ball”, step by step
ball traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English ball
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | ball | Alternative form of bal; Alternative form of bale |
| 2 | Middle English | bal | A ball; A rounded or spherical lump or bump,... |
| 3 | Old English | beall | ball |
| 4 | English | beal | A small inflammatory tumor; pustule; To gather... |
| 5 | Old English | hyll | hill |
| 6 | Albanian | hulli | furrow |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | hulliz | hill |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | kl̥Hnís | hill |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | kelH- | to rise, to be tall; hill |
via Middle English balle
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | balle | Alternative form of bal; ball, round object,... |