ball

Definition

A solid or hollow sphere, or roughly spherical mass.

Etymology

From Middle English bal, ball, balle, from an unattested Old English *beall, *bealla (“round object, ball”) or Old Norse bǫllr (“a ball”), both from Proto-Germanic *balluz, *ballô (“ball”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰol-n- (“ball, bubble”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to blow, inflate, swell”). Cognate with Old Saxon ball, Dutch bal, Old High German bal, ballo (German Ball (“ball”); Ballen (“bale”)). Related forms in Romance are borrowings from Germanic. See also balloon, bale.

Example Sentences

• "a ball of spittle; a fecal ball"
• "a ball of wool; a ball of twine"
• "[…] the Good Old Cause, which, as they seemed to represent it, smelt of Gunpowder and ball […]"