ballast etymology

Etymology:

• Middle English: balist, from Late Latin: ballista, from Ancient Greek: βαλλίστρα (ballistra), "engine for throwing missiles"

Meaning:

• A heavy weight or object used to provide stability or balance, especially:
  • A device used to stabilize a ship in water
  • A device used to regulate current flow in an electrical circuit

Origin:

The word "ballast" ultimately comes from the Greek word "ballein," meaning "to throw." The original ballista was a military weapon used to hurl projectiles, such as stones or bolts. The device consisted of a heavy base and a large wooden arm that was pulled back and released to launch the projectile.

During the Medieval period, the ballista was adapted for use on ships as a counterweight to help stabilize the vessel in rough seas. Over time, the term "ballast" came to be applied more generally to any heavy object used for balancing and stability.

In the electrical context, ballast is used to describe a device that regulates the flow of current in a circuit. This type of ballast is typically used in fluorescent lighting fixtures, where it serves to limit the current flow and provide the necessary voltage to ignite the fluorescent lamp.

ballast relate terms

• bare

  Etymology The word bare comes from the Old English word bær meaning naked or unc

• lade

  Etymology Middle English ladon from Anglo Norman French ladon from Old French ledon

• laden

  Etymology The word laden comes from the Old English word ladan which means to load

• lading

  Etymology The word lading comes from the Middle English word laden meaning to load

• resistance

  Etymology Middle English resistance Old French résistance Latin resistentia resistere

• stabilize

  Etymology French stabiliser Latin stabilis meaning firm or fixed Meaning To m

• gravel

  Etymology Middle English gravele gravil 13th century Old French gravele gravel 1

• steady

  Etymology Middle English stedi from Old English stæðig meaning firm constant P

• brace

  Etymology The word brace has several etymological roots Middle English brace de

• stuff

  Etymology The word stuff has Proto Germanic roots and is related to words like stopfen

• resistor

  Etymology The word resistor is derived from the Latin word resistere meaning to res

• attribute

  Etymology The word attribute comes from the Latin word attribuere which means to a

• material

  Etymology Middle English materiale from Latin materiālis from materia matter M