Etymology

trial balloon

trial bal·loon

Today it means: A small balloon released into the sky to determine the direction and tendency of winds in the upper air before a manned ascent in a larger balloon; a ballon d'essai. Full definition →

French ballon d’essai
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The story

  1. French · calque ofballon d’essai“small balloon released into the sky to determine the direction and tendency of winds in the upper air before a manned ascent in a larger balloon; (figuratively) prospective action to test acceptance”
  2. English todaytrial balloon

Calque of French ballon d’essai (“small balloon released into the sky to determine the direction and tendency of winds in the upper air before a manned ascent in a larger balloon; (figuratively) prospective action to test acceptance”): ballon (“balloon”), essai (“trial, try; assay”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.