A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

balsam --- 1579, "aromatic resin used for healing wounds and soothing pains," from L. balsamum (see balm). There is an isolated O.E. reference from c.1000. As a type of flowering plant of the Impatiens family, it is attested from 1741. Balsamic is from 1605.

Balthazar --- masc. proper name, from Fr., from L., from Gk. Baltasar, from Heb. Belteshatztzar (Dan. x.1), from Babylonian Balat-shar-usur, lit. "save the life of the king."

Baltic Sea --- from M.L. Balticus, either from Lith. baltas "white" or Scand. balta "straight."

Baltimore --- city in Maryland, U.S., founded 1729, named for Cecilius Calvert, 2nd baron Baltimore (1605-1675), who held the charter for Maryland colony; from a small port town in southern Ireland where the family had its seat, from Ir. Baile na Tighe Mor, lit. "townland of the big house."

baluster --- support for a railing, 1602, from Fr. balustre, It. balaustro (see balustrade).

balustrade --- 1644, "row of balusters," from Fr. balustrade, from It. balaustrata "provided with balusters," from balaustro "pillar," from balausta "flower of the wild pomegranate," from Gk. balaustion (perhaps of Sem. origin, cf. Aram. balatz "flower of the wild pomegranate"). Staircase uprights had lyre-like double curves, like the calyx tube of the pomegranate flower.

bam --- imitative of the sound of a hard hit, first recorded 1922.

bambino --- little child, 1761, from It., "baby," a dim. of bambo "simple" (cf. L. bambalio "dolt," Gk. bambainein "to stammer").

bamboo --- 1598, from Du. bamboe, from Port. bambu, earlier mambu (16c.), probably from Malay samambu, though some suspect this is itself an imported word.

bamboozle --- 1703, originally a slang or cant word, perhaps Scottish from bombaze "perplex," related to bombast, or Fr. embabuiner "to make a fool (lit. 'baboon') of."

ban (n.) --- governor of Croatia, from Serbo-Croat. ban "lord, master, ruler," from Pers. ban "prince, lord, chief, governor," related to Skt. pati "guards, protects." Hence banat "district governed by a ban," with Latinate suffix -atus.

ban (v.) --- O.E. bannan "to summon by proclamation," a sense surviving only in banns of marriage (1198; spelling with double -n- attested from 1549), which also is partly from O.Fr. ban "public proclamation," from Frank. *ban, cognate of the O.E. word. Main modern sense of "prohibit" is from O.N. banna "curse, prohibit," and probably in part from O.Fr. ban, which also meant "outlawry, banishment." O.E., Frank. and O.N. words all are from P.Gmc. *bannan "proclaim, command, forbid" (cf. O.H.G. bannan "to command or forbit under threat of punishment," Ger. bannen "banish, expel, curse"), from PIE base *bha- "to speak" (cf. O.Ir. bann "law," from the same root; see fame). Sense evolved from "speak" to "proclaim a threat" to "curse." Banned in Boston dates from 1920s, in allusion to the excessive zeal and power of that city's Watch and Ward Society.

banal --- trite, commonplace, 1840, from Fr. banal, adj. form of ban "decree, legal control" (see ban (v.)). Originally designating things like ovens or mills that belonged to feudal serfs, or else compulsory military service; in either case generalized through "open to everyone" to "commonplace, ordinary," to "trite, petty."

banana --- 1597, borrowed by Sp. or Port. from a W. African word, possibly Wolof banana. The plant introduced to the New World from Africa, 1516. Banana republic is from 1935. Bananas in the slang sense of "nuts" is first recorded 1935. Top banana, second banana, etc. are 1950s, from show business slang use of banana for "comedian, especially in a burlesque show." Banana split first attested 1920.

band (1) --- a flat strip, also "something that binds," represents a merger of two words, ultimately from the same source. In the sense "that by which someone or something is bound," it is attested from 1126, from O.N. band "thin strip that ties or constrains," from P.Gmc. *bindan (related to Mod.Eng. bend and bind), from PIE *bendh- "to bind" (cf. Goth bandi "that which binds; Skt. bandhah "a tying, bandage," source of bandana; M.Ir. bainna "bracelet"). Most of the fig. senses of this word have passed into bond (q.v.), which originally was a phonetic variant of band. The meaning "a flat strip" (c.1394) is from O.Fr. bande "strip, edge, side," via O.N.Fr. bende, from O.H.G. binda, from P.Gmc. *bindan (see above). In M.E., this was distinguished by the spelling bande, but since the loss of the final -e- the words have fully merged. Meaning "broad stripe of color" is from 1470; the electronics sense of "range of frequencies or wavelengths" is from 1922. The O.N.Fr. form was retained in heraldic bend.

band (2) --- an organized group, 1490, from M.Fr. bande, from O.Fr. bande, traceable to P.Gmc. root of band (1), probably via a band of cloth worn as a mark of identification by a group of soldiers or others (cf. Gothic bandwa "a sign"). The extension to "group of musicians" is c.1660, originally musicians attached to a regiment of the army. To beat the band (1897) is to make enough noise to drown it out, hence to exceed everything.

bandage --- 1599, from M.Fr. bandage, from O.Fr. bander "to bind," from bande "a strip" (see band (1)). Band-Aid, trademark registered 1924 by Johnson & Johnson. The British equivalent was Elastoplast. Fig. sense of "temporary or makeshift solution to a problem" (in lower case) is first recorded 1968.

bandana --- 1752, from Hindi bandhnu a method of dyeing, from Skt. badhnati "binds" (because the cloth is tied like modern tie-dye), from same PIE root as band (1).

bandeau --- 1706, from Fr., from O.Fr. bandel dim. of bande "band" (see band (1)).

bandicoot --- 1789, from Telegu pandi-kokku, lit. "pig-rat." Properly a large and destructive Indian rat; applied from 1827 to a type of insectivorous Australian marsupial somewhat resembling it.

bandit --- 1591, from It. bandito (pl. banditi) "outlaw," pp. of bandire "proscribe, banish," from V.L. *bannire "to proclaim, proscribe," from P.Gmc. *bann (see ban). *Bannire (or its Frankish cognate *bannjan) in O.Fr. became banir-, which, with lengthened stem, became Eng. banish.

bandoleer --- 1577, "shoulder belt (for a wallet)," from Sp. bandolera, from dim. of banda "a scarf, sash," a Gmc. loan-word related to Goth. bandwa (see band (2)). Meaning "ammunition belt for a musket" is from 1596; hence bandolero "highwayman, robber" (1645), from Sp., lit. "man who wears a bandoleer."

band-wagon --- 1855, Amer.Eng., from band (2) + wagon, originally a large wagon used to carry the band in a circus procession; as these also figured in celebrations of successful political campaigns, being on the bandwagon came to represent "attaching oneself to anything that looks likely to succeed," a usage first attested 1899 in writings of Theodore Roosevelt.

bandy (v.) --- 1577, "to strike back and forth," from M.Fr. bander, from root of band (2). The sense apparently evolved from "join together to oppose," to opposition itself, to "exchanging blows," then metaphorically, to volleying in tennis. Bandy was a 17c. Irish game, precursor of field hockey, played with curved sticks, hence bandy-legged (1688).

bane --- O.E. bana "slayer, murderer," from P.Gmc. *banon, cognate with *banja- "wound" (cf. O.Fris. bona "murderer," O.H.G. bana "murder," Goth. banja "stroke, wound"), from PIE base *bhen- "to strike, wound" (cf. Avestan banta "ill"). Modern sense of "that which causes ruin or woe" is from 1577.

bang --- c.1550, "to strike hard with a loud blow," from O.N. banga "to pound, hammer" of echoic origin. Slang meaning "have sexual intercourse with" first recorded 1937. Bangs of hair first recorded 1878, Amer.Eng., though 1870 of horses (bang-tail), perhaps from notion of abruptness (cf. bang off "immediately, without delay, 1886; bang-up "excellent, first-rate," 1820, probably shortened from phrase bang up to the mark). Big bang in astrophysics first recorded 1950. Banger British slang for "a sausage" is first recorded 1919, perhaps from sense of "a bludgeon," though this is only recorded in U.S. "This is the way the world ends Not with a bang but a whimper" [T.S. Eliot, "Hollow Men," 1925]

bangle --- ring-shaped bracelet, 1787, from Hindi bangri "colored glass bracelet or anklet."

banish --- c.1320, banischen, from banniss-, extended stem of O.Fr. banir "to proclaim an outlaw," from Frank. *bannjan "to order or prohibit under penalty," or from V.L. cognate *bannire (see bandit).

banister --- 1667, unexplained corruption of baluster. As late as 1830 condemned as "vulgar," it is now accepted.

banjo --- 1764, Amer.Eng., usually described as of African origin, prob. akin to Bantu mbanza, an instrument resembling a banjo. The word has been infl. by colloquial pronunciation of bandore (1566), a 16c. stringed instrument like a lute and an ancestor (musically and linguistically) of mandolin; from Port. bandurra, from L. pandura, from Gk. pandoura "three-stringed instrument." The origin and influence may be the reverse of what is here described.

bank (1) --- financial institution, 1474, from either O.It. banca or M.Fr. banque (itself from the O.It. term), both meaning "table" (the notion is of the moneylender's exchange table), from a Gmc. source (cf. O.H.G. bank "bench"); see bank (2). The verb meaning "to put confidence in" (U.S. colloquial) is attested from 1884. Bank holiday is from 1871, though the tradition is as old as the Bank of England. Bankroll (v.) "to finance" is 1920s. To cry all the way to the bank was coined 1956 by flamboyant pianist Liberace, after a Madison Square Garden concert that was packed with patrons but panned by critics.

bank (2) --- earthen incline, edge of a river, c.1200, probably in O.E., from O.N. banki, from P.Gmc. *bangkon "slope," cognate with P.Gmc. *bankiz "shelf."

bankrupt --- 1533, from It. banca rotta, from banca "moneylender's shop," lit. "bench" (see bank (1)) + rotta "broken, defeated, interrupted" from (and remodeled on) L. rupta, fem. pp. of rumpere "to break" (see rupture). The verb is first recorded 1552.

banner --- c.1230, from O.Fr. baniere, from L.L. bandum "standard," borrowed from a W.Gmc. cognate of Goth. bandwa "a sign" (see band (2)). Of newspaper headlines, from 1913. Banneret (1297) "order of knighthood," was originally in ref. to one who could lead his men into battle under his own banner. Later it meant one who received rank for valiant deeds done in the king's presence in battle.

bannock --- thick flat cake, O.E. bannuc, from Gael. bannach "a cake," perhaps a loan from L. panis "bread" (see food).

banns --- see ban (v.).

banquet --- 1483, from O.Fr. banquet (15c.), from O.It. banchetto dim. of banco "bench," originally a snack eaten on a bench (rather than at table), hence "a slight repast between meals;" the meaning has entirely reversed.

banshee --- 1771, from phonetic spelling of Ir. bean sidhe "female of the Elves," from bean "woman" + sidhe, from sith "fairy." Specifically, one who calls to the spirits of the dead.

bantam --- 1749, after Bantam, former Dutch residency in Java, from which the small domestic fowl were said to have been first imported. Extension to "small person" is 1837. As a weight class in boxing, it is attested from 1884.

banter --- 1676, slang, origin uncertain.

Bantu --- 1862, applied to south African language group by W.H.I. Bleek, from native Ba-ntu "mankind," from ba-, plural prefix + ntu "a man, person."

banyan --- Indian fig tree, 1634, so called in allusion to a tree on the Iranian coast of the Persian Gulf under which the Hindu merchants known as banians had built a pagoda. From Skt. vanija "merchant."

banzai --- Japanese war-cry, 1893, lit. "(may you live) ten thousand years," originally a greeting addressed to the emperor, from ban "ten thousand" + sai "year."

baobab --- 1640, from M.L. bahobab (1592), apparently from a central African language.

baptize --- 1297, from O.Fr. baptizier (11c.), from L. baptizare, from Gk. baptizein "to immerse," in ecclesiastical language, "baptize," from baptein "to dip, steep, dye, color." Christian baptism originally consisted in full immersion. Baptist as member of a Protestant sect that believes in adult baptism by immersion first recorded 1654; their opponents called them anabaptists. Phrase baptism of fire (1822) translates Fr. baptême de feu and is a reference to a soldier's first experience under fire in battle; but the phrase originally was ecclesiastical Gk. baptisma pyros and meant "the grace of the Holy Spirit as imparted through baptism." Later it was used of martyrdom, especially by fire.

bar (1) --- c.1175, "stake or rod of iron used to fasten a door or gate," from O.Fr. barre, from V.L. *barra "bar, barrier," which some suggest is from Gaulish *barros "the bushy end," but OED regards this as "discredited" because it "in no way suits the sense." Bar code first recorded 1963. Behind bars "in prison" is from 1951. Meaning "bank of sand across a harbor or river mouth" is from 1586, so called because it was an obstruction to navigation.

bar (2) --- tavern, 1592, from the bars of the barrier or counter over which drinks or food were served to customers (see bar (1)). Barmaid is from 1772; bar-tender is 1836, Amer.Eng.; barfly "habitual drunkard" is from 1910.

bar (3) --- whole body of lawyers, the legal profession, 1559, a sense which derives ultimately from the railing that separated benchers from the hall in the Inns of Court. Students who had attained a certain standing were "called" to it to take part in the important exercises of the house. After c.1600, however, this was popularly assumed to mean the bar in a courtroom, which was the wooden railing marking off the area around the judge's seat, where prisoners stood for arraignment and where a barrister (q.v.) stood to plead. As the place where the business of court was done, bar in this sense had become synonymous with "court" by c.1330.

Bar Mitzvah --- 1861, in Judaism, "male person who has completed his 13th year and thus reached the age of religious responsibility," from Heb., lit. "son of command."

Barabbas --- biblical masc. proper name, Gk., from Aramaic barabba, "son of the father," or "son of the master." In Heb., it would be ben abh.

barb --- c.1374, from O.Fr. barbe "beard, beardlike appendage," from L. barba "beard," cognate with O.E. beard.

Barbados --- probably from Port. las barbados "the bearded," so called because the vines hung densely from the trees on the island.

Barbara --- fem. proper name, from L., fem. of barbarus "strange, foreign, barbarous," from Gk. barbaros (see barbarian). For women, unlike men, the concept of "alien" presumably could be felt as "exotic" and thus make an appealing name.

barbarian --- 1338, from M.L. barbarinus, from L. barbaria "foreign country," from Gk. barbaros "foreign, strange, ignorant," from PIE base *barbar- echoic of unintelligible speech of foreigners (cf. Skt. barbara- "stammering," also "non-Aryan"). Barbaric is first recorded 1490, from O.Fr. barbarique, from L. barbaricus "foreign, strange, outlandish." Barbarous is first attested 1526.

Barbary --- c.1300, "foreign lands" (especially non-Christian lands," from L. barbarus "barbarous" (see barbarian). Meaning "Saracens living in coastal North Africa" is attested from 1596, via Fr. (O.Fr. Barbarie), from Arabic Barbar, Berber, ancient Arabic name for the inhabitants of N.Africa beyond Egypt. Perhaps a native Arabic word, from barbara "to babble confusedly," which may be ult. from Gk. barbaria (see barbarian). "The actual relations (if any) of the Arabic and Gr[eek] words cannot be settled; but in European langs. barbaria, Barbarie, Barbary, have from the first been treated as identical with L. barbaria, Byzantine Gr[eek] barbaria land of barbarians" [OED].

barbecue --- 1657, from Amer.Sp. barbacoa, from Arawakan (Haiti) barbakoa "framework of sticks," the raised wooden structure the Indians used to either sleep on or cure meat. Originally "meal of roasted meat or fish," modern popular noun sense of "grill for cooking over an open fire" is 1931.

barber --- c.1320, from Anglo-Fr. barbour, from O.Fr. barbeor, from V.L. *barbator-em, from L. barba "beard." Originally also regular practitioners of surgery and dentistry, they were restricted to haircutting and dentistry under Henry VIII. Barber-shop is from 1579; in ref. to close harmony male vocal quartets, it is attested from 1910.

barbican --- outer fortification of a city or castle, 1300, from O.Fr. barbacane (12c.), a general Romanic word, perhaps from Arabic or Pers. (cf. bab-khanah "gate-house").

Barbie --- 1959, trademark name (reg. U.S.).

barbiturate --- 1928, from Ger., coined 1863 by chemist Adolf von Baeyer from Barbitursäure "barbituric acid," coined perhaps from woman's name Barbara, or perhaps from L. barbata, in M.L. usnea barbata, lit. "bearded moss." Second element is because it was obtained from uric acid.

bard --- 1449, from Scottish, from O.Celt. bardos "poet, singer," from PIE base *gwer- "to lift up the voice, praise." In historic times, a term of contempt among the Scots (who considered them itinerant troublemakers), but one of great respect among the Welsh. "All vagabundis, fulis, bardis, scudlaris, and siclike idill pepill, sall be brint on the cheek." [local Scottish ordinance, c.1500] Subsequently idealized by Scott in the more ancient sense of "lyric poet, singer." Poetic use of the word in English is from Gk. bardos, L. bardus, both from Gaulish. Bardolatry "worship of Shakespeare (the 'Bard of Avon')" first recorded 1901.

bare --- O.E. bær "naked, uncovered," from P.Gmc. *bazaz (cf. Ger. bar, O.N. berr, Du. baar), from PIE *bhosos (cf. Arm. bok "naked;" O.C.S. bosu, Lith. basas "barefoot"). Meaning "sheer, absolute" (1205) is from the notion of "complete in itself." The verb is O.E. barian.

barf --- to vomit or retch,1960, Amer.Eng. slang, probably onomatopoeic. Barf bag "air sickness pouch" attested from 1966.

bargain --- 1330, from O.Fr. bargaignier "to haggle," perhaps from Frank. *borganjan "to lend," and ultimately from P.Gmc. *borgan (cf. O.E. borgian, source of borrow). Another suggestion is that the O.Fr. word comes from L.L. barca "a barge," because it "carries goods to and fro." There are difficulties with both suggestions. A bargain basement (1899) originally was a basement floor in a store where bargains were displayed.

barge --- 1300, "small seagoing vessel with sails," from O.Fr. barge, from M.L. barga, from L. *barica, from Gk. baris "Egyptian boat," from Coptic bari "small boat." Meaning "flat-bottomed freight boat" dates from 1480. The verb form barge into dates from 1830s, Amer.Eng.

baritone --- 1609, from It. baritono, from Gk. barytonos "deep-toned," from barys "heavy, deep" (see grave (adj.)) + tonos "tone" (see tenet). Technically, "ranging from lower A in bass clef to lower F in treble clef." Meaning "singer having such a voice" is from 1821. As a type of brass band instrument, it is attested from 1949.

barium --- 1808, Mod.L., from Gk. barys "heavy;" so called by its discoverer, Eng. chemist Sir Humphrey Davy (1778-1829) because it was present in the mineral barytes "heavy spar," from Gk. barys "heavy" (see grave (adj.)).

bark (n1.) --- tree skin, c.1300, from O.N. borkr "bark," from P.Gmc. *barkuz, which is probably related to birch and Low Ger. borke. The native word was rind.

bark (n2.) --- any small ship, c.1420, from M.Fr. barque, from L.L. barca (c.400 C.E.), probably cognate with V.L. *barica (see barge). More precise sense of "three-masted ship" (17c.) often is spelled barque to distinguish it.

bark (v.) --- dog sound, O.E. beorcan, from P.Gmc. *berkanan (cf. O.N. berkja "to bark"), of echoic origin. Barker "noisy assistant in an auction or show" is from 1483. To bark up the wrong tree is U.S. colloquial, first attested 1832, from hounds following the wrong scent.

barley --- O.E. bærlic, originally an adj., "of barley," from bere "barley" (from P.Gmc. *bariz, *baraz) + -lic "body, like." First element is related to O.N. barr "barley," and cognate with L. far (gen. farris) "coarse grain, meal." In Britain and U.S., the grain is used mainly to prepare liquor, hence personification as John Barleycorn (1620) in popular ballad, and many now-obsolete figures of speech, e.g. to wear a barley cap (16c.) "to be drunk."

barm --- O.E. beorma "yeast," also "head of a beer," from PIE base *bher- "to boil up" (cf. Du. berm, M.L.G. barm, L. fermentum "substance causing fermentation," Skt. bhurati "moves convulsively, quivers," M.Ir. berbaim "I boil, seethe"), from base *bhreue- "to boil, bubble, effervesce, burn" (see brew). Hence, barmy "frothing" (1535); fig. sense of "excitedly active" is attested from 1602. Meaning "foolish" (1892) is probably an alteration of balmy (see balm).

barn --- O.E. bereærn "barn," lit. "barley house," from bere "barley" (see barley) + aern "house," metathesized from *rann, *rasn (cf. O.N. rann, Goth. razn "house," O.E. rest "resting place"). Barnstorming first applied 1815 to a theatrical troupe's performances in upstate N.Y. barns (usually featuring short action pieces to suit vulgar tastes); extended 1896 to electioneering, 1928 to itinerant airplane pilots who performed stunts at fairs and races. Barn door figurative for "broad target" and "great size" since 1547.

Barnabas --- surname of Joseph the Levite of Cyprus (Acts iv.36), lit. "son of exhortation," from Aramaic bar "son" + nabha "prophecy, exhortation." St. Barnabas' Day (colloquially St. Barnaby), June 11, in Old Style was reckoned the longest day of the year.

barnacle --- c.1227, "species of wild goose;" as a type of "shellfish," first recorded 1581. Often derived from a Celtic source (cf. Bret. bernik "kind of shellfish"), but the application to the goose predates that of the shellfish in Eng. The goose nests in the Arctic in summer and returns to Europe in the winter, hence the mystery surrounding its reproduction. It was believed in ancient superstition to hatch from barnacle's shell, possibly because the crustacean's feathery stalks resemble goose down. The scientific name of the crustacean, Cirripedes, is from Gk. cirri "curls of hair" + pedes "feet."

barometer --- 1665, from Gk. baros "weight" + metron "measure" (see meter (2)). Probably coined (and certainly popularized) by English scientist Robert Boyle (1627-1691).

baron --- c.1200, from O.Fr. baron, acc. of ber "military leader," perhaps from Frank. baro "freeman, man;" merged with cognate O.E. beorn "nobleman." Baronet, with dim. suffix, first recorded c.1400.

baroque --- 1765, from M.Fr. baroque "irregular," from Port. barroco "imperfect pearl," Sp. berruca "a wart," origin unknown. "This style in decorations got the epithet of Barroque taste, derived from a word signifying pearls and teeth of unequal size." [Fuseli's translation of Winkelmann, 1765] Klein suggests the name may be from It. painter Federigo Barocci (1528-1612), a founder of the style. How to tell baroque from rococo, according to Fowler: "The characteristics of baroque are grandeur, pomposity, and weight; those of rococo are inconsequence, grace, and lightness." But the two terms often used without distinction for styles featuring odd and excessive ornamentation.

barrack --- 1686, "temporary hut for soldiers during a siege," from Fr. barraque, from Sp. barraca (1249) "soldier's tent," lit. "cabin, hut," perhaps from barro "clay, mud," which is probably of Celt-Iberian origin. Meaning "permanent building for housing troops" (usually in plural) is attested from 1697.

barracuda --- 1678, from Amer.Sp., perhaps from a Carib word.

barrage --- 1859, "man-made barrier in a stream," from Fr. barrer "to stop," from barre "bar," from O.Fr. barre (see bar). Artillery sense is 1916, from World War I Fr. phrase tir de barrage "barrier fire" intended to isolate the objective.

barrel --- c.1300, from O.Fr. baril (12c.), with forms in all Romance languages, but origin uncertain; perhaps from Gaulish, perhaps somehow related to bar. Meaning "metal tube of a gun" is from 1648. The verb meaning "to move quickly" is 1930, Amer.Eng. slang, perhaps suggestive of a rolling barrel.