English

inkball

From ink + ball.

A compound of ink + ball

Ancient Greek ἔγκαυστον ‘burned-in’

Latin encaustum ‘purple ink used by Roman emperors to sign…’

Old French enque

Middle English ynke

English ink

Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- ‘to blow’

Proto-Germanic *balluz ‘round object’

Old English *beall

Middle English bal ‘a ball’

English ball

Today it means

noun The gall of an oak tree, used to produce ink.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.