ballast
UK[ˈbæləst]US[ˈbæləst]
n
Heavy material placed in a ship or hot-air balloon to make it more stable.
n
Crushed stone or gravel used to form a stable foundation for railroad tracks or a road.
v
To provide something with ballast for stability.
Etymology
The word 'ballast' entered English in the mid-16th century from Low German or a Scandinavian source like Old Danish 'barlast', where 'bar' meant "bare" or "mere" and 'last' meant "load" or "cargo." This original sense of a "bare load"—weight carried not for profit but purely for stability—perfectly captures its function. The term was adopted into maritime English to describe the essential, heavy material (often sand or stones) placed low in a ship's hold to keep it upright. Over time, its application broadened metaphorically to any foundational material or principle that provides stability, such as the gravel bed for railways or a steadying influence in a person's character.
Analysis
The word is a simplex loanword. Its core form 'ballast' functions as a single, unanalyzable unit in modern English.
Examples
The ship took on ballast before beginning its voyage across the Atlantic.
Workers are replacing the old ballast along the railway line.
His deep religious faith provided the emotional ballast during the crisis.