meatball
meatball Lexical Profile
meatball Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A small, spherical mass of ground or minced meat, often mixed with breadcrumbs, onions, eggs, and seasonings, then cooked by frying, baking, or braising.
"We had spaghetti and meatballs for dinner at the new Italian restaurant."
American A foolish, clumsy, or dull-witted person.
"Don't be such a meatball; pay attention to what you are doing!"
American A pitch thrown directly through the middle of the strike zone, making it exceptionally easy for the batter to hit.
"The relief pitcher served up a meatball, and the batter immediately hit it out of the park for a home run."
• Rhymes for meatball
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
A compound of 'meat' and 'ball'. The term first appeared in English around the mid-19th century to describe various European culinary dishes. The slang usage denoting a foolish or clumsy person originated in American English during the 1930s.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.