Where does “sportsball” come from?

sportsball (English) comes from English sports, from English sport, from Middle English sport, from Middle English disport, from Old French desport, from Old French deport, from Latin deportō, from Latin dē- — afterwards, post; by, at.

sportsball (English): Any sport involving a ball

Definitions

  1. Any sport involving a ball

Ancestry of “sportsball”, step by step

sportsball traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English sports

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishsportsplural of sport; Third-person singular simple...
2EnglishsportAny activity that uses physical exertion or...
3Middle Englishsport
4Middle Englishdisport
5Old FrenchdesportAlternative form of deport
6Old Frenchdeportenjoyment; fun
7Latindeportōto bring or convey
8Latindē-of; from
9Latinof; concerning; about
10Latinpostbehind; after, since, besides, except; behind,...
11Latinposteablative singular of postis
12Proto-Italicpostibehind, after
13Proto-Indo-Europeanpóstiafter
14Proto-Indo-Europeanpósafterwards, post; by, at

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
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pósEvery word from Latin dē-Every word from Proto-Indo-European pósti