Part of speech: Verb
form into a ball by winding or rolling
Example: ball wool
Categories: Wind, Wrap, Roll, Twine
Part of speech: Noun
an object with a spherical shape
Example: a ball of fire
Categories: Sphere
Part of speech: Noun
the people assembled at a lavish formal dance
Example: the ball was already emptying out before the fire alarm sounded
Categories: Dance
Part of speech: Noun
a spherical object used as a plaything
Example: he played with his rubber ball in the bathtub
Categories: Plaything, Toy
Part of speech: Noun
United States comedienne best known as the star of a popular television program (1911-1989)
Part of speech: Noun
a compact mass
Example: a ball of mud caught him on the shoulder
Categories: Agglomeration
Part of speech: Noun
a lavish dance requiring formal attire
Categories: Dance
Part of speech: Noun
a more or less rounded anatomical body or mass
Example: the ball at the base of the thumb; he stood on the balls of his feet
Categories: Structure, Anatomical structure, Complex body part, Bodily structure, Body structure
Part of speech: Noun
the game of baseball
Categories: Baseball, Baseball game
Part of speech: Noun
a pitch that is not in the strike zone
Example: he threw nine straight balls before the manager yanked him
Categories: Pitch, Delivery
Orchis, Clump, Nut, Bollock, Musket ball
The word "ball" comes from Late Latin ballō. It started in Old French baller. Then it appeared in Middle French baler, which was borrowed from Middle French bal. Later, people used it in Proto-Indo-European *bʰel-. After that, it was Proto-Indo-European *bʰoln-. Over time, it became Proto-Germanic *balluz. Finally, it reached Old Norse bǫllr. It started in Old English *beall. Then it appeared in Middle English bal. Many other languages have similar words:.
balloon – A related word in the same word family.
bale – A related word in the same word family.
This word's path shows how empires, trade, and scholarship spread vocabulary across continents.