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Where does the word "balloon" come from? It comes from Italian palla, passing through Italian and French before entering English (1570s).
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Where does the word "balloon" come from? It comes from Italian palla, passing through Italian and French before entering English (1570s).
Balloon’s story begins in Italian: palla meant “ball.” A ball. Within Italian, it grew into pallone by 1500s. 'large ball', used in a ball game. From there it passed into French as ballon by 1500s. A large ball. It reached English by 1570s as balloon. The Montgolfier brothers' hot-air balloon of 1783 gave it its flying sense. Today, balloon means a bag inflated with air or gas.
- Stage 1 · Italian · medieval palla "ball", a ball.
- Stage 2 · Italian · 1500s pallone "big ball", 'large ball', used in a ball game.
- Stage 3 · French · 1500s ballon "large ball", a large ball.
- Stage 4 · English · 1570s balloon "balloon", the Montgolfier brothers' hot-air balloon of 1783 gave it its flying sense.