Meaning
A solid or hollow sphere, or roughly spherical mass.
Etymology
Origin: Old English
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰel-der. Proto-Germanic *balluz Old English *beall Middle English bal English ball From Middle English bal, ball, balle, from an unattested Old English *beall, *bealla (“round object, ball”), 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.
Synonyms & Antonyms
NYT Puzzle Appearances
Accepted in 47 recorded puzzles:
- 2026-10-07ABDFLOR
- 2026-08-31LABDORY
- 2026-07-04BAEHILT
- 2026-04-14BALECIY
- 2026-03-29BANICLO
- 2026-03-09BADILUY
- 2026-03-03ABCEKLO
- 2026-02-01BANIGLO
- 2025-12-29BNALGDI
- 2025-12-14BVANIEL
- 2025-12-09LRAOCBN
- 2025-10-23ABCFILK
+35 earlier appearances in the archive.