balloon

[ buh-loon ]

noun

1. a bag made of thin rubber or other light material, usually brightly colored, inflated with air or with some lighter-than-air gas and used as a children's plaything or as a decoration.
2. a bag made of a light material, as silk or plastic, filled with heated air or a gas lighter than air, designed to rise and float in the atmosphere and often having a car or gondola attached below for carrying passengers or scientific instruments.
3. (in drawings, cartoons, etc.) a balloon-shaped outline enclosing words represented as issuing from the mouth of the speaker.
4. an ornamental ball at the top of a pillar, pier, or the like.
5. a large, globular wineglass.
6. Chemistry Now Rare. a round-bottomed flask.

verb (used without object)

1. to go up or ride in a balloon.
2. to swell or puff out like a balloon.
3. to multiply or increase at a rapid rate:

   Membership has ballooned beyond all expectations.

verb (used with object)

1. to fill with air; inflate or distend (something) like a balloon.

adjective

1. puffed out like a balloon:

   balloon sleeves.

2. Finance. (of a loan, mortgage, or the like) having a payment at the end of the term that is much bigger than previous ones.

balloon

/ bəˈluːn /

noun

1. an inflatable rubber bag of various sizes, shapes, and colours: usually used as a plaything or party decoration
2. a large impermeable bag inflated with a lighter-than-air gas, designed to rise and float in the atmosphere. It may have a basket or gondola for carrying passengers, etc See also barrage balloon hot-air balloon
3. a circular or elliptical figure containing the words or thoughts of a character in a cartoon
4. 1. a kick or stroke that propels a ball high into the air
   2. ( as modifier )

      a balloon shot

5. chem a round-bottomed flask
6. a large rounded brandy glass
7. commerce
   1. a large sum paid as an irregular instalment of a loan repayment
   2. ( as modifier )

      a balloon loan

8. surgery
   1. an inflatable plastic tube used for dilating obstructed blood vessels or parts of the alimentary canal
   2. ( as modifier )

      balloon angioplasty

9. go down like a lead balloon informal.
   to be completely unsuccessful or unpopular
10. when the balloon goes up informal.
    when the trouble or action begins

verb

1. intr to go up or fly in a balloon
2. intr to increase or expand significantly and rapidly

   losses ballooned to £278 million

3. to inflate or be inflated; distend; swell

   the wind ballooned the sails

4. tr to propel (a ball) high into the air

Derived Forms

• balˈlooning, noun
• balˈloon-ˌlike, adjective
• balˈloonist, noun

Other Words From

• bal·loonlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of balloon¹

1570–80; < Upper Italian ballone, equivalent to ball ( a ) (< Langobardic; ball ¹ ) + -one augmentative suffix; or < Middle French ballon < Upper Italian

Word History and Origins

Origin of balloon¹

C16 (in the sense: ball, ball game): from Italian dialect ballone , from balla , of Germanic origin; compare Old High German balla ball ¹

Idioms and Phrases

In addition to the idiom beginning with balloon , also see go over (like a lead balloon) ; trial balloon .

Example Sentences

One thing is certain: Gaetz will serve as a trial balloon, even if his nomination is deadly serious.

From Slate

In September, two thieves were arrested and charged over the theft of his famed Girl with Balloon piece from a central London art gallery.

From BBC

Another Temu site card showed a large balloon with penblwydd hapus - happy birthday - written on it and tied to a dachshund, which was identical to a Draenog card.

From BBC

The following year, his balloon burst a mile above the ground in Virginia, and his re-attempt at the flight saw him wrecked among burr chestnut trees and almost killed.

From Salon

Such a balloon was created, but Wise withdrew from the project at the last minute, leaving the inexperienced Donaldson to pilot the enormous balloon alone.

From Salon

Related Words

• blimp