Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “softball” come from?

softball (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.

softball (English): A game similar to baseball but played with a...

Definitions

  1. A game similar to baseball but played with a...

Ancestry of “softball”, 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 “softball”

  • softballer
  • softball
  • софтбол
  • softball
  • ソフトボール
  • 소프트볼
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kelH- →