Where does “ball lightning” come from?
ball lightning (English) comes from German Kugelblitz, from German Blitz, from Middle High German blitze, from Old High German blëcchazzen, from Proto-Germanic blaikaz, from Proto-Indo-European bʰloyǵ-os, from Proto-Indo-European bʰleyǵ- — to shine.
ball lightning (English): A short-lived glowing ball sometimes observed to...
Definitions
- A short-lived glowing ball sometimes observed to...
Ancestry of “ball lightning”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | Kugelblitz | ball lightning |
| 2 | German | Blitz | lightning; flash |
| 3 | Middle High German | blitze | lightning |
| 4 | Old High German | blëcchazzen | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | blaikaz | pale, white |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰloyǵ-os | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰleyǵ- | to shine |