Ball

See also: ball, bal, bál, bål, and Bäll

English

Etymology

Multiple theories and origins.

• From a short form of the Middle English given name Baldwin.
• A toponymic surname for a person that lives near a knoll or rounded hill (i.e. somewhere shaped like a ball).
• From the Old Norse given name Balle.
• A habitational surname for a person from Ball, Cornwall, from Cornish Pelen.

Proper noun

Ball

1. An English surname.
2. A town in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States.
3. A hamlet in Egloshayle parish, on the eastern outskirts of Wadebridge, Cornwall, England (OS grid ref SX0073).

Derived terms

• Ballsbridge
• Ball's pipefish
• Ballston

Central Franconian

Alternative forms

• Bal (Kirchröadsj)

Etymology 1

From Middle High German and Old High German bal, from Proto-Germanic *balluz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ba²l/, [bɑ²l]

Noun

Ball m (plural Balle or Bäll, diminutive Bällche)

1. (most dialects) ball (round or roundish object, most commonly used in games)

Derived terms

• Basketball
• Foßball
• Handball
• Korvball
• Tennisball

Etymology 2

Borrowed from French bal.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ba¹l/, [bɑ¹l]

Noun

Ball f or m (plural Balls)

1. (most dialects, dance) ball (social gathering for dancing), prom (US)

Usage notes

• The plural, Balls, is only used in western Ripuarian and the Limburgan-Ripuarian Transitional Dialects. The other dialects do not have a (known) plural. There is also no known diminutive.
• The feminine form is used in westernmost Ripuarian and the Limburgan-Ripuarian Transitional Dialects, the masculine form is used in most other dialects.

German

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bal/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -al

Etymology 1

From Middle High German and Old High German bal, from Proto-West Germanic *ballu, from Proto-Germanic *balluz.

Cognates include English ball, Dutch bal, Danish bold, Swedish boll, Icelandic böllur, and Norwegian ball.

Noun

Ball m (strong, genitive Balles or Balls, plural Bälle, diminutive Bällchen n)

1. ball (round or roundish object, most commonly used in games)

   Können wir uns deinen Ball ausleihen? ― Can we borrow your ball?

   Er formte einen Ball aus Papier. ― He shaped the paper into a ball.

2. (ball games, informal) pass, play

   Synonyms: Pass, Spielzug

   ein guter Ball in den Strafraum ― a great ball into the box

   Die Bälle müssten öfter über links kommen. ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)

Usage notes

• The German words Kugel and Ball are usually distinguished inasmuch as the former refers to solid balls (such as those used for billiards or bowling) while the latter refers to air-filled or elastic balls (such as tennis or footballs/soccer balls). This distinction may be neglected colloquially or jokingly.

Declension

Declension of Ball [masculine, strong]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	der	Ball	die	Bälle
genitive	eines	des	Balles, Balls	der	Bälle
dative	einem	dem	Ball, Balle1	den	Bällen
accusative	einen	den	Ball	die	Bälle

¹Now rare, see notes.

Derived terms

• am Ball bleiben
• den Ball flach halten

Related terms

• ballförmig
• Basketball, Korbball
• Feuerball
• Fußball
• Handball
• Kopfball
• Schmetterball
• Schneeball
• Tennisball
• Tischtennisball
• Völkerball
• Wasserball

 

Etymology 2

Borrowed from French bal.

Noun

Ball m (strong, genitive Balles or Balls, plural Bälle)

1. (dance) ball (social gathering for dancing), prom (US)

   Synonym: Tanzball

Declension

Declension of Ball [masculine, strong]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	der	Ball	die	Bälle
genitive	eines	des	Balles, Balls	der	Bälle
dative	einem	dem	Ball, Balle1	den	Bällen
accusative	einen	den	Ball	die	Bälle

¹Now rare, see notes.

Derived terms

• Ballsaal

Related terms

• Fastnachtsball
• Feuerwehrball
• Karnevalsball
• Kostümball
• Maskenball
• Sportlerball

 

Further reading

• “Ball” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “Ball” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
• “Ball (Sport- und Spielgerät)” in Duden online
• “Ball (Tanzveranstaltung)” in Duden online
• Ball on the German Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^de

Limburgish

Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch bal, from Old Dutch *bal, from Frankish *ball, from Proto-West Germanic *ballu, from Proto-Germanic *balluz.

Alternative forms

• bal (widespread variant)
  • bol, ból, baol (some dialects, mainly in West-Limburg, sense 1, 2, and 3)
  • baal
• Balle (Eupen)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ba˨l/
• Hyphenation: Ball
• Rhymes: -al

Noun

Ball m (plural Bäll, diminutive Bälltje) (German-based spelling, Eupen spelling)

1. ball (round or roundish object, most commonly used in games)
2. (informal) testicle, nut
3. (anatomy) ball (of the hand or foot)
4. (chiefly in the negative) anything

Etymology 2

Borrowed from French bal.

Alternative forms

• bal (most dialects)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ba˦l/
• Hyphenation: Ball
• Rhymes: -al

Noun

Ball m (plural Bäll, diminutive Bälltje) (German-based spelling, Eupen spelling)

1. (dance) ball (social gathering for dancing), prom (US)

Luxembourgish

Etymology

From Middle High German and Old High German bal, from Proto-West Germanic *ballu, from Proto-Germanic *balluz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bal/, [bɑl]
• Rhymes: -ɑl

Noun

Ball m (plural Bäll)

1. ball (round object for playing sports)