English word origin

Etymology of bale

From Middle English bale (“evil”), from Old English bealu, from Proto-West Germanic *balu, from Proto-Germanic *balwą. Cognate with Low German bal- (“bad, ill”), Gothic 𐌱𐌰𐌻𐍅𐌴𐌹𐌽𐍃 (balweins, “torture”), Old High Ge

5 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 5 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

noun

Evil, especially considered as an active force for destruction or death. · Suffering, woe, torment.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inherited-form mentionbaleenm · evil
Inherited-form mentionbealuang
Inherited-form mention*balugmw-pro
Inherited-form mention*balwągem-pro
Cognate mentionbal-nds
Cognate mention𐌱𐌰𐌻𐍅𐌴𐌹𐌽𐍃got
Cognate mentionbalogoh
Cognate mentionbǫlnon

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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        "t": "evil"
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    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
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        "2": "𐌱𐌰𐌻𐍅𐌴𐌹𐌽𐍃",
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      },
      "expansion": "Gothic 𐌱𐌰𐌻𐍅𐌴𐌹𐌽𐍃 (balweins, “torture”)"
    },
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      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
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        "2": "balo",
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        "4": "destruction"
      },
      "expansion": "Old High German balo (“destruction”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
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        "1": "non",
        "2": "bǫl",
        "3": "",
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    }
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      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/balu"
    ],
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      "*balwą",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/balwą"
    ],
    [
      "bal-",
      "bal-#Low_German"
    ],
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      "𐌱𐌰𐌻𐍅𐌴𐌹𐌽𐍃#Gothic"
    ],
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      "balo",
      "balo#Old_High_German"
    ],
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      "bǫl",
      "bǫl#Old_Norse"
    ]
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Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

noun

A large fire, a conflagration or bonfire. · A funeral pyre. · A beacon-fire.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Middle English bale (“pyre, funeral pyre”), from Old English bǣl (“pyre, funeral pyre”), from Proto-Germanic *bēlą (“pyre”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to shine; gleam; sparkle”). Cognate with Old Norse bál (which may have been the direct source for the English word).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inherited-form mentionbaleenm · pyre, funeral pyre
Inherited-form mentionbǣlang
Inherited-form mention*bēlągem-pro
Derivation mention*bʰel-ine-pro
Cognate mentionbálnon

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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Source etymology 3

Original entry ↗

noun

A rounded bundle or package of goods in a cloth cover, and corded for storage or transportation. · A bundle of compressed fibers (especially hay, straw, cotton, or wool), compacted for shipping and handling and bound by twine or wire. · A measurement of hay equal to 10 flakes. Approximately 70-90 lbs (32-41 kg). · A measurement of paper equal to 10 reams.

verb

To wrap into a bale.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Middle English bale (“bale”), from Old French bale and Medieval Latin bala, of Germanic origin. Doublet of ball.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inherited-form mentionbaleenm · bale
Derivation mentionbalefro
Doublet mentionballen

This page abbreviates 2 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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Source etymology 4

Original entry ↗

verb

To remove water from a boat with buckets etc.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Alternative spelling of bail.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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Source etymology 5

Original entry ↗

noun

Alternative spelling of balei

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Alternative spelling of balei.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

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Where this record stops

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Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-YmFsZQ