Where does “unmothball” come from?
unmothball (English) comes from English mothball, 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 — to rise, to be tall; hill.
unmothball (English): To restore (a mothballed project or equipment) to active use
Definitions
- To restore (a mothballed project or equipment) to active use
Ancestry of “unmothball”, step by step
unmothball traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English mothball
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | mothball | A small ball of chemical pesticide and deodorant... |
| 2 | English | Ball | surname |
| 3 | Middle English | bal | A ball; A rounded or spherical lump or bump,... |
| 4 | Old English | beall | ball |
| 5 | English | beal | A small inflammatory tumor; pustule; To gather... |
| 6 | Old English | hyll | hill |
| 7 | Albanian | hulli | furrow |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | hulliz | hill |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | kl̥Hnís | hill |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | kelH- | to rise, to be tall; hill |
via English un
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | un | One |