hairball

English

noun

Definitions

A small wad of fur or mass of hair formed in the digestive system of a cat or other animal, from hair ingested while grooming.
(slang) A messy, tangled, intractable issue.

Etymology

Compound from English hair + English ball (testicle, round object).

Origin

English

ball

Gloss

testicle, round object

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms

Calvinball English
Hairgate English
Moneyball English
Polandball English
Q-ball English
airball English
asshair English
atrichia English
atrichic English
backball English
ball English
ball player English
ball-breaker English
ball-buster English
ball-goer English
ball-like English
ballache English
ballbag English
ballbusting English
ballcap English
ballclub English
ballcock English
ballcourt English
baller English
ballfield English
ballgag English
ballgoer English
ballgown English
ballhair English
ballhandler English
ballhandling English
ballhawk English
ballhead English
balljoint English
balljuice English
ballkicker English
ballless English
balllike English
ballmaker English
ballpark English
ballplaying English
ballpoint English
ballproof English
ballrace English
ballroom English
ballsac English
ballsack English
ballstock English
ballsucker English
ballyard English
bandyball English
baseball English
basketball English
beachball English
beanball English
blackball English
bladderball English
blowball English
bluehair English
bollock English
bow ball English
boxball English
brainball English
broomball English
bucketball English
bunnyball English
butterball English
buttonball English
cabbageball English
camelshair English
caneball English
cannonball English
carpetball English
catchball English
cathair English
cheeseball English
corkball English
cornball English
crosshair English
crudball English
cumball English
curveball English
deball English
dehair English
dehairer English
dirtball English
disco ball English
dodgeball English
doghair English
doughball English
dungball English
dustball English
earball English
eggball English
eight-ball English
eyeball English
fieldball English
fireball English
fishball English
fistball English
flagball English
flash-ball English
floorball English
fluffball English
flutterball English
flyball English
football English
forkball English
fourball English
freeball English
fuckball English
furball English
fuzzball English
ghostball English
glitterball English
glueball English
goalball English
goathair English
goatshair English
goofball English
greaseball English
gumball English
gyroball English
hair English
hair dryer English
hair pipe English
hairband English
hairbird English
hairbow English
hairbreadth English
hairbrush English
haircalf English
haircap English
haircare English
hairclip English
haircloth English
haircoat English
haircolor English
haircut English
haircutter English
haircutting English
hairdo English
hairdon't English
hairdress English
hairdresser English
hairdressing English
hairdryer English
haired English
hairen English
hairful English
hairgrass English
hairgrip English
hairist English
hairless English
hairlift English
hairlike English
hairline English
hairlock English
hairlore English
hairmageddon English
hairnet English
hairpiece English
hairpin English
hairplay English
hairpluck English
hairpuller English
hairpulling English
hairsbreadth English
hairshaft English
hairshirt English
hairslide English
hairsplit English
hairsplitter English
hairsplitting English
hairspring English
hairstreak English
hairstring English
hairstyle English
hairstyler English
hairstyling English
hairstylist English
hairswidth English
hairtail English
hairwashing English
hairwear English
hairwork English
hairworm English
hairy English
half-ball English
handball English
hardball English
headhair English
heelball English
highball English
hipball English
hornball English
horseball English
horsehair English
hyperball English
iceball English
inkball English
junkball English
kickball English
kittenball English
knuckleball English
korfball English
lardball English
laundry ball English
lawyerball English
longhair English
macrohair English
maidenhair English
manhair English
matball English
meatball English
metaball English
moonball English
moorball English
mothball English
motoball English
mudball English
multiball English
murderball English
mushball English
muskball English
myoball English
nanoball English
nanohair English
nerf ball English
netball English
netherhair English
niggerball English
nonball English
nonhair English
nutball English
oddball English
onballer English
overhair English
paddleball English
paintball English
patball English
physioball English
pickleball English
pinball English
pithball English
playball English
preball English
puffball English
pukeball English
punchball English
pushball English
racketball English
racquetball English
rehair English
rollerball English
roofball English
rootball English
roundball English
rubber ball blast grenade English
sandball English
screwball English
scruffball English
scuffball English
scumball English
shitball English
shorthair English
sinkerball English
skittleball English
slamball English
sleazeball English
slimeball English
sloshball English
slowball English
slushball English
smallball English
smokeball English
smut-ball English
snotball English
snowball English
softball English
sootball English
sourball English
speedball English
spit-ball English
spitball English
sportsball English
stage ball English
stickball English
stinkball English
stoopball English
streetball English
superball English
swingball English
tape ball English
tarball English
tetherball English
throwball English
towball English
townball English
trackball English
trackerball English
trapball English
tunnelball English
turdball English
typeball English
unball English
underhair English
unhair English
unhairing English
uniball English
uniballer English
volleyball English
wallball English
wash-ball English
washing ball English
wireball English
wirehair English
wogball English
woodball English
woodsball English
Haar German
bola gato Portuguese
ヘア Japanese
ボール Japanese
bal Middle English
her Middle English
haro Esperanto
บอล Thai
ลูกบอล Thai
ဘော Burmese
波霸 Chinese
ibhola Zulu
*r/m-ba Proto-Sino-Tibetan
ibhola Xhosa
ibhola Swati
bal Hausa
波霸 Cantonese
bol Bislama
eya Torres Strait Creole
hyar Nigerian Pidgin
bɔɔlɔ Akan
bool Bwatoo