slimeball

The word is a modern English compound, formed by combining two native Germanic elements. "Slime," with Proto-Germanic origins meaning "slime" or "mucus," has long carried connotations of something foul and repulsive. "Ball," denoting a spherical shape, is used here to create a metaphorical object representing a whole person. The compound "slimeball" thus logically constructs its meaning by likening a despicable individual to a tangible, disgusting object—a ball of slime—effectively transferring the physical qualities of sliminess (slipperiness, uncleanness) to the moral character of a person.

Structure: slime (viscous substance) + ball (spherical object) - slime: From Old English 'slīm', meaning sticky or viscous substance. Its functional role is to provide the core semantic concept of something unpleasant and slippery. - ball: From Old Norse 'bǫllr', meaning a rounded object. Its functional role is to act as a noun-forming suffix, creating a concrete metaphor for a person.