gumball

G2U1M3B3A1L1L1
US/ɡʌmbɔl/US, cot caught merger/ɡʌmbɑl/UK/ɡʌmbɔːl/

noun

Chewing gum sold as a ball usually coated with colored hard sugar.

“When he drinks too much he's a gumball.”

Similar
goofballmonkey ball
OriginEnglish ball ← Middle English bal ← Old English *beall →
Less commonScrabble 12
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Meanings

noungumball (plural gumballs)

plural gumballs

  1. Chewing gum sold as a ball usually coated with colored hard sugar.

    Remember those clear globe dispensers with gumballs for a penny?

  2. slangA silly, laughable person.

    When he drinks too much he's a gumball.

    Synonyms: goofball

  3. USslangThe flashing lights on top of a police car.
  4. The spiky seedpod of the sweet gum tree.

    Synonyms: monkey ball

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA silly, laughable person.

Similar
goofball

nounThe spiky seedpod of the sweet gum tree.

Similar
monkey ball
Also see
bommy knockermonkey ball

Origin

  1. Egyptianqmy
  2. Egyptianqmyt
  3. Ancient Greekκόμμι (kómmi)
  4. Latincummis
  5. Late Latingumma
  6. Anglo-Normangome
  7. Middle Englishgumme
  8. Englishgum
  9. Proto-Indo-European*bʰel-
  10. Proto-Germanic*balluz
  11. Old English*beall
  12. Middle Englishbal
  13. Englishball
  14. Englishgumball

From gum + ball.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Dutch kauwgombal, kauwgumbal
  • kauwgombalTranslations
  • kauwgumbalTranslations
German Kaugummikugel
  • KaugummikugelTranslations
Icelandic tyggjókúla
  • tyggjókúlaTranslations
Polish guma kulka
  • guma kulkaTranslations
Turkish sakız topu
  • sakız topuTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

gumball. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gumball

MLA

“gumball.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gumball. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “gumball,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gumball.

Source: gumball on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.