Balloon

Pronunciation

• IPA: /bəˈluːn/
• Rhymes: -uːn

Origin

1570, "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 "ball" from Proto-Germanic *ballô ("ball"), 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"). More at ball.

Noun

1. An inflatable buoyant object, often (but not necessarily) round and flexible.
2. Such an object as a child’s toy.
3. Such an object designed to transport people through the air.
4. (medicine) A sac inserted into part of the body for therapeutic reasons; such as angioplasty.
5. A speech bubble.
6. A type of glass cup, sometimes used for brandy.
7. (architecture) A ball or globe on the top of a pillar, church, etc.the balloon of St. Paul's Cathedral in London
8. (chemistry) A round vessel, usually with a short neck, to hold or receive whatever is distilled; a glass vessel of a spherical form.
9. (pyrotechnics) A bomb or shell.
10. A game played with a large inflated ball.
11. (engraving) The outline enclosing words represented as coming from the mouth of a pictured figure.

Synonyms

• (inflatable object)
• (child’s toy) toy balloon
• (transport) hot-air balloon, Montgolfier
• (in medicine)
• (speech bubble) speech bubble, fumetto

Derived terms

Full definition of balloon

Verb

1. (intransitive) To increase or expand rapidly.His stomach ballooned from eating such a large meal.Prices will balloon if we don't act quickly.
2. (intransitive) To go up or voyage in a balloon.
3. (transitive) To take up in, or as if in, a balloon.