Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “snowball” come from?

Snowball comes from Middle English snoweball, a compound of snow and ball.

snowball (English): A ball of snow, usually one made in the hand and...

Definitions

  1. A ball of snow, usually one made in the hand and...

Ancestry of “snowball”, 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 “snowball”

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