baller

American  

[baw-ler] / ˈbɔ lər /

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.

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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.

Etymology

Origin of baller

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

From BBC • Nov. 12, 2025

“As a teammate and mentor, a mother and wife, a baller, broadcaster, and businesswoman she has inspired countless young people, both boys and girls, to chase and achieve their dreams.”

From Seattle Times • Apr. 28, 2024

Doug Herzog, the former president of Viacom Music and Entertainment Group and the man responsible for hiring Stewart for the job back in the late ‘90s, described it to The Wrap as “a baller move.”

From Salon • Feb. 4, 2024

He is treading into largely unmapped territory, with the potential to become the best baller with a Mexican passport.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 20, 2023

“Nobody really liked Kasim ’cause he wasn’t a baller.

From "American Street" by Ibi Zoboi