balk

balk · noun, verb¹

1. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*balkô
2. Old Norse · derived frombálkr“partition, ridge of land”
3. Old English · inherited frombalca
4. Middle English · inherited frombalke
5. English todaybalk

From Middle English balke, from Old English balca, either from or influenced by Old Norse bálkr (“partition, ridge of land”), from Proto-Germanic *balkô. Cognate with Dutch balk (“balk”), German Balken (“balk”), Italian balcone (“balcony”).

balk · noun²

1. Old English · inherited frombealluc“testicle”
2. Middle English · inherited frombalok
3. English todaybalk

From Middle English balok, ballok (“knob”), from Old English bealluc (“testicle”, literally “little ball”). Doublet of ballock and bollocks.

Words from the same roots