Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “bale” come from?

bale (Middle English) comes from Old French bale, from Medieval Latin balla, from Frankish balla, from Proto-Germanic balluz, from Proto-Indo-European bʰel-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰōl-.

bale (Middle English): An evil or wrong act; a bad deed; Maliciousness,...

Definitions

  1. An evil or wrong act; a bad deed; Maliciousness,...

Ancestry of “bale”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchbalerolled-up bundle, packet of goods
2Medieval Latinballa—
3Frankishballa—
4Proto-Germanicballuzround object, ball; ball of the hand, foot, etc
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰel-to sound; to speak, roar, bark; shiny, white; to...
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰōl-—

Words derived from “bale”

  • B
  • ball
  • baseball
  • basketball
  • ballroom
  • bale
  • eyeball
  • volleyball
  • ballpark
  • fireball
  • fastball
  • ballpoint
  • cannonball
  • pinball
  • oddball
  • handball
  • ballplayer
  • balling
  • racquetball
  • hardball
  • highball
  • curveball
  • screwball
  • meatball
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰōl- →