meatball
UK[ˈmiːtbɔːl]US[ˈmiːtbɑːl]
n
a small ball of ground or minced meat, often cooked in a sauce or soup.
n
(informal, north american) a person regarded as being stupid, clumsy, or ineffectual.
Morpheme Breakdown
meat
ball
meat
ball
Etymology
the word 'meatball' is a transparent english compound formed from two old english roots. 'meat' originates from the old english 'mete', meaning 'food' in a general sense, which later narrowed to specifically denote animal flesh. 'ball' derives from old english 'beall' or old norse 'bǫllr', both referring to a rounded object. the compound logically describes a food item shaped into a sphere, with its informal derogatory sense for a person being a metaphorical extension based on perceived clumsiness or lack of sharpness, much like the food's soft, round form.
Analysis
Structure: meat + ball
- meat (old english): the edible flesh of an animal. functional role: base noun, denoting the primary substance.
- ball (old english): a spherical object. functional role: noun, denoting the shape of the object.
Examples
she served spaghetti with homemade meatballs in a rich tomato sauce.
for a quick appetizer, you can bake frozen meatballs with a sweet and sour glaze.
(informal) don't be such a meatball; you need to focus if you want to win the game.