Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “ball player” come from?

ball player (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.

ball player (English): A player of a ball game; especially a basketball,...

Definitions

  1. A player of a ball game; especially a basketball,...

Ancestry of “ball player”, step by step

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

Words derived from “ball player”

  • ballplayer
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kelH- →