Where does “scruffball” come from?

scruffball (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.

scruffball (English): Any scruffy creature

Definitions

  1. Any scruffy creature

Ancestry of “scruffball”, step by step

scruffball 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 scruff

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishscruffSomeone with an untidy appearance; Stubble,...
2EnglishscuffTo scrape the feet while walking; To hit lightly,...
3Scotsscuffto touch lightly, graze, hit
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kelH-Every word from Proto-Indo-European kl̥HnísEvery word from Proto-Germanic hulliz