baller

[baw-ler]

noun

1. Slang.,  Also balla

   1. a successful person who has or earns a lot of money and lives a lavish, flashy, or extravagant lifestyle.

      I busted out my newly tailored suit and rolled in there like a baller, or at least I tried my best to.

      He’s a real baller now, upgrading from a bachelor pad to a penthouse.

   2. someone who is proficient at playing ball, especially basketball.

      She'll be taking her talents, as a baller and a student, to Davidson College this fall.

2. a tool that makes, scoops, or winds things into balls (used in combination).

   Using a melon baller, scoop out the inside of the apples, taking care to create a shell of even thickness.

   Just for kicks, they balled socks in a mechanical sock baller and shot them across the room.

adjective

1. Slang.,  Also balla great or excellent, especially in a flashy or stylish way.

   I'd never been inside that club before, and the place is baller—it’s going to blow you away.

Word History and Origins

Origin of baller¹

First recorded in 1580–90, ball ¹ ( def. ) + -er ¹ ( def. ) (in general sense “ball player”); in 1825–35 baller for def. 2, ball ¹ ( def. ) + -er ¹ ( def. ) (in sense “tool or scoop”); in 1985–90 baller for def. 1b, shortening of (basket)ball ( def. ) + -er ¹ ( def. ); in 1990–95 baller for def. 3, in adjective sense “great, excellent”; perhaps from ball ¹ ( def. ) + -er ¹ ( def. ), or from ball ² ( def. ) + -er ¹ ( def. ), the spelling balla representing an African-American Vernacular pronunciation

Example Sentences

He created his own shoe company, Big Baller Brand.

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Now, both have taken part in Rising Baller showcase games, where a group of grassroots players in London play in front of scouts.

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In terms of what makes a baller, Ndiaye says it's simple.

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He says he will let others decide if he is the best "baller" in the Premier League, but he certainly puts himself up there.

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Baller amenities are said to include a bowling alley, recording studio, and barbershop.

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