ball

Pronunciation: /bɔl/

Reading level: medium

Estimated CEFR level: A2 — Elementary

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games
  2. noun a solid projectile that is shot by a musket
  3. noun an object with a spherical shape

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.

In classic literature

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
game equipment
Narrower (hyponyms)
bowl, marble, football, golf ball, croquet ball, racquetball

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