ball English · revision 2614

+ English has two words spelled ''ball'': the round object, probably from Old Norse, and the dancing party, from French.^(Cresswell 2021)^(AHD 2000)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /bɔːl/, US /bɔːl/, /bɑːl/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ {{homograph|1|round object}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1205|origins=gem-pro *balluz}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The round object is [[inh|enm|bal]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(MW Collegiate) probably [[bor|non|bǫllr|t=ball]],^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002)^(COED 2004)^(MWU 2024) or perhaps from an unrecorded Old English *beall, implied by the diminutive [[m|ang|bealluc|t=testicle]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2000) from [[gem-pro|*balluz]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) the source also of Dutch [[m|nl|bal]] and German [[m|de|Ball]].^(Etymonline) It is from [[ine-pro|*bʰel-|alt=*bhel-|t=to blow, swell]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000)^(Klein 1966) and Barnhart relates it more remotely to [[bullock]].^(Barnhart 1988) The same Scandinavian word is the ultimate root of Italian ballotta, the source of [[ballot]].^(Cresswell 2021) The verb is from the noun.^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A ball used in games: about 1205 in the OED^(OED 1989) or about 1200 in Etymonline,^(Etymonline) probably before 1200, in Layamon.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A planet or the earth is a ball from before 1300.^(OED 1989) The ball of the foot is from the mid-14th century,^(Etymonline) and a game played with a ball from about 1350.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) A cannon or musket ball, a rounded missile, is from the late 14th century,^(Etymonline) 1387 in the OED.^(OED 1989) The sense “testicle” is from the early 14th century.^(Etymonline) A delivery of the ball, as in cricket, is from 1483.^(OED 1989) ''Ball and chain'' is from 1835,^(OED 1989) ''keep one's eye on the ball'' figuratively by 1907, from golf, ''on the ball'' from 1912, and ''the ball is in your court'' by 1956, from tennis.^(Etymonline) The verb, “to make into a ball”, is from the 1650s,^(Etymonline) 1577 in Merriam-Webster;^(MWU 2024) the slang sense “to copulate” is by the 1940s, from jazz slang.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1205 – a ball for games.^(OED 1989)

+ * before 1300 – a planet.^(OED 1989)

+ * early 14th century – a testicle.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1350 – a game with a ball.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1387 – a missile.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1483 – a delivery in a game.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1912 – ''on the ball''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1956 – ''ball in someone's court''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A round or roughly round object, especially one used in a game.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # A game played with a ball, especially [[baseball]].^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # A single throw, kick or delivery of the ball in a game.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # ''(baseball)'' A pitch outside the strike zone.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # A rounded part of the body: ''the ball of the foot''.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # A solid missile for a cannon or gun.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(vulgar slang)'' A testicle.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To form into a ball.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ballpark]]

+ * [[ballpoint]]

+ * [[ball bearing]]

+ * [[football]]

+ * [[baseball]]

+ * [[snowball]]

+ * [[eyeball]]

+ * [[meatball]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|dance}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1633|origins=grc βαλλίζω}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The dance is [[bor|fr|bal|t=a dance]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2000) from Old French [[m|fro|baller|t=to dance]],^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002)^(Hoad 1986) from [[la-lat|ballāre|t=to dance]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000)^(SOED 2002) from [[grc|βαλλίζειν|tr=ballízein|t=to dance, jump about]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000)^(Skeat 1911) literally “to throw one's body”, as ancient Greek dancing was highly athletic,^(Etymonline) ultimately from [[m|grc|βάλλειν|tr=bállein|t=to throw]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Klein 1966) from [[ine-pro|*gʷelh₁-|alt=*gwele-|t=to throw, reach]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) Latin ballāre is also the source of [[ballad]] and [[ballet]].^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A dance or dancing: 1633 in the OED,^(OED 1989) 1632 in Barnhart^(Barnhart 1988) or the 1630s.^(Etymonline) A social assembly for dancing is from the 1630s.^(Etymonline) Merriam-Webster dates it to 1605.^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The extended sense “a very enjoyable time”, as in ''have a ball'', is American English slang from 1945, perhaps from the 1930s in African-American speech.^(Etymonline) The verb, “to attend a ball”, is from the mid-17th century, and “to enjoy oneself greatly” is a later slang use.^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1605 – first known use in Merriam-Webster.^(MWU 2024)

+ * 1633 – a dance.^(OED 1989)

+ * mid-17th century – verb, to attend a ball.^(SOED 2002)

+ * 1945 – a very good time.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A large formal social gathering for dancing.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # ''(informal)'' A very enjoyable time: ''had a ball''.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ballroom]]

+ * [[masked ball]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ballad]]

+ * [[ballade]]

+ * [[ballet]]

+ * [[balloon]]

+ * [[ballot]]

+ * [[bale]]

+ * [[bullock]]

+ * [[ballistic]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ In Anglo-Irish use a ''ball'' of malt is a glass of whiskey, a word of unknown origin from the early 20th century.^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}