Ballast

See also: ballast

Dutch

Etymology

First attested as Ballast in 1738. Derived from Dutch Low Saxon ballast (“weeds”), here referring to a patch of overgrown land.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɑˈlɑst/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: Bal‧last
• Rhymes: -ɑst
• Homophone: ballast

Proper noun

Ballast n

1. A hamlet in Coevorden, Drenthe, Netherlands.

References

• van Berkel, Gerard, Samplonius, Kees (2018) Nederlandse plaatsnamen verklaard (in Dutch), Mijnbestseller.nl, →ISBN

German

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle Low German ballast, a compound word the second part of which is Last. The origin of the first part is uncertain; several theories and possible paths of borrowing are discussed.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbalast/, /baˈlast/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

Ballast m (strong, genitive Ballastes, plural Ballaste)

1. (nautical or figuratively) ballast

Declension

Declension of Ballast [masculine, strong]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	der	Ballast	die	Ballaste
genitive	eines	des	Ballastes	der	Ballaste
dative	einem	dem	Ballast, Ballaste1	den	Ballasten
accusative	einen	den	Ballast	die	Ballaste

¹Now rare, see notes.

Further reading

• “Ballast” in Duden online
• “Ballast” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache