Where does “curveball” come from?

curveball (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.

curveball (English): A forespin pitch thrown by rotating the index and...

Definitions

  1. A forespin pitch thrown by rotating the index and...

Ancestry of “curveball”, step by step

curveball 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 curve

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcurveBent without angles; crooked; curved; A gentle...
2Latincurvusbent, crooked, curved
3Proto-Italickorwos
4Proto-Indo-Europeanḱorh₂wós
5Proto-Indo-Europeanḱer-to grow, to make grow, to nourish; to plait,...
6Proto-Indo-Europeankr̥-to turn, to bend
7Proto-Indo-Europeanker-army

Words derived from “curveball

Every word from Proto-Indo-European kelH-Every word from Proto-Indo-European kl̥HnísEvery word from Proto-Germanic hulliz