meatball

American  

[meet-bawl] / ˈmitˌbɔl /

noun

1. Cooking. a small ball of ground meat, especially beef, often mixed with breadcrumbs, seasonings, etc., before cooking.

2. Slang. an awkward, clumsy, or ineffectual person.

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meatball British  

/ ˈmiːtˌbɔːl /

noun

1. minced beef, shaped into a ball before cooking

2. slang a stupid or boring person

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Etymology

Origin of meatball

First recorded in 1830–40; meat + ball ¹

Example Sentences

A bag of frozen mini-beef meatballs, dusted generously with paprika and garlic powder, will absolutely get you there.

From Salon

Irish potatoes are about as Irish as spaghetti and meatballs are Italian — a product of immigrant communities in America rather than the old country itself.

From Salon

He is incessantly screaming at us to eat concoctions such as beer-battered meatball sandwiches, wrapped in a pizza and deep-fried in lard.

From Salon

The furniture company known for its Swedish meatballs and blocky “Kallax” shelving units has found a home inside the old Helms Bakery complex in Culver City.

From Los Angeles Times

In an alley behind Tony’s Restaurant, two dogs share a heaping plate of spaghetti and meatballs under the moonlight.

From Salon