Dictionary

balloon en · NOUN

Pronunciation

/bəˈlun/ (General-American)
/bəˈluːn/ (Received-Pronunciation, Wales)
(General-American) audio
/bəˈlʉwn/ (British, Southern, Standard)
/bəˈlʉn/ (Northern-Ireland, Scotland)
/bəˈlʉːn/ (Australia, New-Zealand)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰel-der. Proto-Germanic *balluz Frankish *ballubor. Medieval Latin balla Italian palla Proto-Indo-European *-ōder. Proto-Indo-European *-Hōder.? Latin -ōnem Italian -one Italian pallonebor. ▲ Italian pallonebor. Middle French ballonbor.? English balloon First use appears c. 1591, "a game played with a large, inflated leather ball" (possibly via Middle French ballon) from Italian pallone (“large ball”) from palla (“ball”), from Lombardic *palla. The Northern Italian form, balla (“ball-shaped bundle”), today a doublet, likely derived from Old French balle, from Frankish *balla (“ball”), and may have influenced the spelling of this word. Both Germanic words are from Proto-Germanic *ballô (“ball”), *balluz, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰoln- (“bubble”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to blow, swell, inflate”). Akin to Old High German ballo, bal (“ball”), (German Ballen (“bale”); Ball "ball"). Doublet of ballon. More at ball.

Meanings

An inflatable buoyant object, often (but not necessarily) round and flexible.
Such an object as a child’s toy or party decoration.
Such an object designed to transport people or equipment through the air.
- We immediately threw out all the little things we had with us, ſuch as biſcuits, apples, &c. and after that one of our oars or wings; but ſtill deſcending, we caſt away the other wing, and then the governail ; having likewiſe had the precaution, for fear of accidents, while the Balloon was filling, partly to looſen and make it go eaſy, I now ſucceeded in attempting to reach without the Car, and unſcrewing the moulinet, with all its apparatus; I likewiſe caſt that into the ſea. 1786, John Jeffries, Jean-Pierre Blanchard, A narrative of the two aerial Voyages of Dr. J. with Mons. Blanchard: with meteorological observations and remarks., page 45:
A sac inserted into part of the body for therapeutic reasons; such as angioplasty.
A speech bubble.
A wide rounded glass with a stem and foot, used for wine, brandy, etc.
A ball or globe on the top of a pillar, church, etc.
- the balloon of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London
A round vessel, usually with a short neck, to hold or receive whatever is distilled; a glass vessel of a spherical form.
(qualifier:pyrotechnics) A bomb or shell.
(obsolete) A game played with a large inflated ball.
The outline enclosing words represented as coming from the mouth of a pictured figure.
(slang) A woman's breast.
(slang) A small container for illicit drugs made from a condom or the finger of a latex glove, etc.
- And all I had to do in return was take a drive up to Ricardo's place on the way home and then a pretty edgy one back to Rondebosch with a balloon of coke sandwiched between two pairs of underpants. 2016, David Cornwell, Like it Matters:
Synonym of balloon payment.
- The purpose of the balloon is to reduce the periodic payment required during the life of the financing period. 1986, James M. Johnson, Fundamentals of finance for equipment lessors:

Forms

Spelling	Features	Labels	Source
balloons	Number=Plur		lexicographic

Coordinates

airship · dirigible · aerostat · blimp · zeppelin

Deriveds

Translations (293)

de Ballon (child’s toy) · bg аероста́т (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · hu hőlégballon (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · vi khí cầu (inflatable and buoyant object) · ne बेलुन (child’s toy) · ca baló (child’s toy) · my မီးပုံးပျံ (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · fa بادکُنک (child’s toy) · sm paluni (inflatable and buoyant object) · ha balân (inflatable and buoyant object) · sw mabofu (inflatable and buoyant object) · es globo (child’s toy) · vi khinh khí cầu (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · es chimbomba (child’s toy) · yue 氣球 /气球 (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · ar نُفَّاخَة (inflatable and buoyant object) · eo balono (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · ht blad (inflatable and buoyant object) · ja バルーン (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · yue 氣球 /气球 (inflatable and buoyant object) · he בָּלוֹן (inflatable and buoyant object) · tk howa shary (inflatable and buoyant object) · hi बैलून (inflatable and buoyant object) · mi poihau (child’s toy) · zu ibhaloni (inflatable and buoyant object) · pt balão (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · ko 풍선 (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · ta ஊதுபை (child’s toy) · ms belon (child’s toy) · fa پوقانه (child’s toy) · ckb بالۆن (child’s toy) · pl balon (child’s toy) · ru возду́шный шар (inflatable and buoyant object) · sk balón (child’s toy) · ca globus (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · el αερόστατο (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · ar نُفَّاخَة (child’s toy) · fr ballon gonflable (child’s toy) · hrx Balong (inflatable and buoyant object) · lt balionas (child’s toy) · vi khinh khí cầu (inflatable and buoyant object) · ary نفاخة (child’s toy) · km ប៉ោង (child’s toy) · hy փուչիկ (child’s toy) · eu baloi (inflatable and buoyant object) · hu ballon (inflatable and buoyant object) · th ลูกโป่ง (child’s toy) · az hava şarı (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · ja 気球 (inflatable and buoyant object) · lt oro balionas (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · uk пові́тряна ку́ля (inflatable and buoyant object) · te గాలిబుడగ (inflatable and buoyant object) · acw بَلّونة (inflatable and buoyant object) · mn шаар (child’s toy) · es vejiga (inflatable and buoyant object) · ja バルーン (inflatable and buoyant object) · mh bujeen̄ (child’s toy) · vo bälun (inflatable and buoyant object) · et õhupall (inflatable and buoyant object) · sl balon (inflatable and buoyant object) · ta ஊதுபை (inflatable and buoyant object) · is loftbelgur (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · kmr pifdank (child’s toy) · pa ਭੁਕਾਨਾ (inflatable and buoyant object) · vi bóng bay (child’s toy) · uk пові́тряна ку́ля (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · ro balon (child’s toy) · zu ipaloni (child’s toy) · ja バルーン (child’s toy) · lt balionas (inflatable and buoyant object) · cs balón (child’s toy) · fr ballon en baudruche (child’s toy) · yi באַלאָן (inflatable and buoyant object) · de Ballon (inflatable and buoyant object) · cs balón (inflatable and buoyant object) · fi ilmapallo (child’s toy) · cmn 氣球 /气球 (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · be паве́траны шар (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · ko 기구 (child’s toy) · lv balons (inflatable and buoyant object) · ms belon (inflatable and buoyant object) · ru аэроста́т (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · lo ລູກໂປ່ງ (child’s toy) · tl lobo (child’s toy) · my စည်ဖောင်း (child’s toy) · hi ग़ुब्बारा (child’s toy) · bn বেলুন (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · is blaðra (inflatable and buoyant object) · ga balún (inflatable and buoyant object) · de Heißluftballon (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · km ប៉ោង (inflatable and buoyant object) · es globo (inflatable and buoyant object) · fi ilmapallo (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · be паве́траны шар (inflatable and buoyant object) · az balon (child’s toy) · hu léggömb (child’s toy) · kk әуе шары (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · hi बेलून (inflatable and buoyant object) · bn বেলুন (inflatable and buoyant object) · bg бало́н (child’s toy) · id balon udara (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · arz منطاد (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · ca globus (inflatable and buoyant object) · uk пові́тряна ку́ля (child’s toy) · et kuumaõhupall (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · ar بَالُون (inflatable and buoyant object) · pdt Loftblos (child’s toy) · bg бало́н (inflatable and buoyant object) · th บัลลูน (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · vi bóng (child’s toy) · kmr balon (inflatable and buoyant object) · yue 氣球 /气球 (child’s toy) · sl balon (child’s toy) · sv ballong (medicine: sac inserted into part of the body) · cmn 氣球 /气球 (child’s toy) · fa بالون (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · ht boul (child’s toy) · el μπαλόνι (inflatable and buoyant object) · ha balân (child’s toy) · fa بالون (inflatable and buoyant object) · cmn 風船 /风船 (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · ga balún (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · mh bujentōm̧a (child’s toy) · tg пуфак (child’s toy) · da ballon (inflatable and buoyant object) · fi pallolasi (type of glass cup) · vo bälun (child’s toy) · et õhupall (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · he כדור פורח (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · lb Ballon (inflatable and buoyant object) · uli hooma (inflatable and buoyant object) · fi kuumailmapallo (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · ja 風船 (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · bg бало́н (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · nb ballong (child’s toy) · ary نفاخة (inflatable and buoyant object) · ms gelembungan (inflatable and buoyant object) · et õhupall (child’s toy) · hi बेलून (child’s toy) · ru возду́шный шар (child’s toy) · ur غُبّارَہ (inflatable and buoyant object) · to pula (inflatable and buoyant object) · nb ballong (inflatable and buoyant object) · fr ballon de baudruche (child’s toy) · lv gaisa balons (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · ar مُنْطَاد (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · ja 気球 (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · ca globus (child’s toy) · is blaðra (child’s toy) · ko 기구 (inflatable and buoyant object) · sv ballong (child’s toy) · fi ilmapallo (inflatable and buoyant object) · id balon (inflatable and buoyant object) · ti ባላንቺና (child’s toy) · ja 風船 (child’s toy) · ru балло́н (medicine: sac inserted into part of the body) · ko 풍선 (child’s toy) · ur غُبّارَہ (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · ka ჰაერბურთი (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · az şar (child’s toy) · pt balão (inflatable and buoyant object) · nb luftskip (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · da luftballon (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · mn агаарын бөмбөлөг (child’s toy) · mr फुगा (inflatable and buoyant object) · sv luftballong (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · vi bong bóng (child’s toy) · tl balun (inflatable and buoyant object) · nl ballon (inflatable and buoyant object) · pl balon (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · pap balon (child’s toy) · ar بَالُون (child’s toy) · sv ballong (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · hu léggömb (inflatable and buoyant object) · tk howa shary (child’s toy) · pt balão (child’s toy) · hi ग़ुब्बारा (inflatable and buoyant object) · vi bong bóng (inflatable and buoyant object) · ka აეროსტატი (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · ka ჰაერბურთი (child’s toy) · vo bälun (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · sh bàlōn (child’s toy) · he בָּלוֹן (child’s toy) · ja バルーン (medicine: sac inserted into part of the body) · eu globo (inflatable and buoyant object) · mh bujentōm̧a (inflatable and buoyant object) · sh ба̀ло̄н (child’s toy) · as বেলুন (inflatable and buoyant object) · ru ша́рик (child’s toy) · kmr nepox (child’s toy) · sk balón (inflatable and buoyant object) · pl balon (inflatable and buoyant object) · gl globo (inflatable and buoyant object) · pt bexiga (inflatable and buoyant object) · fr ballon (child’s toy) · lo ລູກໂປ່ງ (inflatable and buoyant object) · sq aerostat (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · af ballong (child’s toy) · ga éadromán (inflatable and buoyant object) · ro balon (inflatable and buoyant object) · eo balono (child’s toy) · id balon (child’s toy) · fr ballon (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · mi parūnu (inflatable and buoyant object) · uk аероста́т (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · pdt Loftblos (inflatable and buoyant object) · sh bàlōn (inflatable and buoyant object) · sq balonë (child’s toy) · km បាឡុង (inflatable and buoyant object) · vi bóng bay (inflatable and buoyant object) · tr balon (child’s toy) · hu lufi (child’s toy) · fr montgolfière (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · oc glòb (inflatable and buoyant object) · da ballon (medicine: sac inserted into part of the body) · my ပူဖောင်း (inflatable and buoyant object) · th ลูกโป่ง (inflatable and buoyant object) · sw puto (child’s toy) · kw pel ayr (inflatable and buoyant object) · te గాలిబుడగ (child’s toy) · kn ಗಾಳಿಚೆಂಡು (child’s toy) · mh bujeen̄ (inflatable and buoyant object) · sq balonë (inflatable and buoyant object) · chr ᎠᎵᏌᎳᏗᏍᎩ (child’s toy) · mk балон (inflatable and buoyant object) · de Luftballon (inflatable and buoyant object) · ru возду́шный шар (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · mn агаарын бөмбөлөг (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · gsw Balung (inflatable and buoyant object) · ckb بالۆن (inflatable and buoyant object) · ka აეროსტატი (inflatable and buoyant object) · ti ባላንቺና (inflatable and buoyant object) · my ပူဖောင်း (child’s toy) · ja 風船 (inflatable and buoyant object) · bo ལྒང་ཕུག (child’s toy) · lv balons (child’s toy) · cmn 氣球 /气球 (inflatable and buoyant object) · it mongolfiera (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · la balonus (child’s toy) · de Ballon (medicine: sac inserted into part of the body) · kl ballonngi (inflatable and buoyant object) · io balono (inflatable and buoyant object) · it palloncino (child’s toy) · eu puxika (child’s toy) · vo lutabälun (child’s toy) · nb luftballong (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · fi pallo (architecture: ball or globe on the top of a pillar etc.) · be паве́траны шар (child’s toy) · fr ballon (inflatable and buoyant object) · fi puhekupla (engraving: outline enclosing words) · hy օդապարիկ (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · ko 기구 (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · es bomba (child’s toy) · nl ballon (child’s toy) · arz بالونة (inflatable and buoyant object) · nl luchtballon (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · cy balŵn (inflatable and buoyant object) · de Luftballon (child’s toy) · ur غُبّارَہ (child’s toy) · mr फुगा (child’s toy) · eo ludbaloneto (child’s toy) · el μπαλόνι (child’s toy) · mi poihau (inflatable and buoyant object) · wo naaw (child’s toy) · pa ਭੂਪੜਾ (inflatable and buoyant object) · arz بالونة (child’s toy) · km ពោងហោះ (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · kmr balon (child’s toy) · da ballon (child’s toy) · hi ग़ुब्बारा (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · ro balon (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · sh ба̀ло̄н (inflatable and buoyant object) · vi khí cầu (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · cs balón (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · ko 풍선 (inflatable and buoyant object) · pl balon (type of glass cup) · ms gelembung (inflatable and buoyant object) · bn বেলুন (child’s toy) · yi באַלאָן (child’s toy) · pdc Luft (inflatable and buoyant object) · it palloncino (inflatable and buoyant object) · sq balonë (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · eo balono (inflatable and buoyant object) · oc balon (inflatable and buoyant object) · io balono (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · fa بادکنک (inflatable and buoyant object) · tr balon (inflatable and buoyant object) · sv ballong (inflatable and buoyant object) · arz بالون (inflatable object to transport people through the air) · nb ballong (medicine: sac inserted into part of the body) · kk әуе шары (inflatable and buoyant object) · hi बैलून (child’s toy) · pau huseng (inflatable and buoyant object)

balloon en · VERB

Pronunciation

/bəˈlun/ (General-American)
/bəˈluːn/ (Received-Pronunciation, Wales)
(General-American) audio
/bəˈlʉwn/ (British, Southern, Standard)
/bəˈlʉn/ (Northern-Ireland, Scotland)
/bəˈlʉːn/ (Australia, New-Zealand)

Etymology

Meanings

(intransitive) To increase or expand rapidly.
- His stomach ballooned from eating such a large meal.
- For the franchise’s ballooning, unmanageable cast of mutants, picking sides now seems to have less to do with choosing between cooperation (which the recent movies implicitly distrust) and resistance, and more with whichever flashback-prone white dude’s overbearing savior complex works for you. 2016 May 23, Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, “Apocalypse pits the strengths of the X-Men series against the weaknesses”, in The Onion AV Club, archived from the original on 29 Jan 2017:
- ScotRail has long been run at a significant subsidy, with only the Edinburgh-Glasgow express line making a profit from fares, but government support has ballooned since the start of the pandemic. 2022 April 6, Conrad Landin, “ScotRail in the public eye...”, in RAIL, number 954, page 39:
- Prices will balloon if we don't act quickly.
(intransitive) To go up or voyage in a balloon.
(transitive) To take up in, or as if in, a balloon.
(transitive) To inflate like a balloon.
- A puff of wind from the open door caught and ballooned the scanties; off they sailed, out the window billowing into freedom. 1944, Emily Carr, “Peach Scanties”, in The House of All Sorts:
(transitive) To strike (a ball) so that it flies high in the air.
- After four minutes, leading goalscorer Haworth slid in but ballooned the ball over from six yards, and Hume then outran the defence to get to the by-line, but he could only hit his cross straight out. 2015, Steve Wilson, A View From The Terraces (part 2, page 138)
Of an aircraft: to plunge alternately up and down.
- The plane ballooned into the air about 20 feet, banging down again for another good-sized hop. 1961, Flying Magazine, volume 69, number 3, page 86:

Forms

Spelling	Features	Source
balloons	Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres	lexicographic
ballooned	Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part	lexicographic
ballooned	Tense=Past	lexicographic
ballooning	Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part	lexicographic

airship · dirigible · zeppelin · ballonet · blimp · ball · gondola

Synonyms

porpoise

Translations (10)

fi pullistua (To increase or expand rapidly) · ga balún (To increase or expand rapidly) · fi kasvaa (To increase or expand rapidly) · bg изду́вам се (To increase or expand rapidly) · ru увеличиваться (To increase or expand rapidly) · ru раздуваться (To increase or expand rapidly) · fi laajeta (To increase or expand rapidly) · ru расти (To increase or expand rapidly) · tl lobo (To increase or expand rapidly) · mi kōpuku (To increase or expand rapidly)

balloon en · NOUN

Pronunciation

Etymology

Meanings

Forms

Coordinates

Deriveds

Descendants

Hyponyms

Synonyms

Translations (293)

balloon en · VERB

Pronunciation

Etymology

Meanings

Forms

Relateds

Synonyms

Translations (10)