Where does “pithball” come from?
pithball (English) comes from English pith, from English helmet, from Middle English helmet, from Old French helmet, from Old French helme, from Medieval Latin helmus, from Frankish helm, from Proto-Germanic helmaz — to pierce, strike; to stick; prick; stab.
pithball (English): A ball made of plant pith, used in early experiments with electricity
Definitions
- A ball made of plant pith, used in early experiments with electricity
Ancestry of “pithball”, step by step
pithball traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English pith
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | pith | The soft, spongy substance in the center of the... |
| 2 | English | helmet | A protective head covering, usually part of... |
| 3 | Middle English | helmet | A helmet; an armoured piece of headgear |
| 4 | Old French | helmet | — |
| 5 | Old French | helme | helmet |
| 6 | Medieval Latin | helmus | helmet |
| 7 | Frankish | helm | helmet |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | helmaz | helmet |
| 9 | Proto-Germanic | halmaz | halm; stem; stalk; straw; hay |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱolh₂mos | stalk |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱelh₂- | to pierce, strike; to stick; prick; stab |
via English Ball
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Ball | surname |
| 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 |