meatball

[meet-bawl]

noun

a small ball of ground meat, especially beef, often mixed with bread crumbs, seasonings, etc., before cooking.
Slang. an awkward, clumsy, or ineffectual person.

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Origin of meatball

First recorded in 1830–40; meat + ball¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for meatball

Contemporary Examples

The actor even had a custom-made tuxedo created so Meatball could participate in his wedding ceremony.
How the English Bulldog Lost Westminster But Conquered America
Keli Goff
February 24, 2013
When asked later in an interview with Wendy Williams how the night went, Vinny responded, “Um… you ever have sex with a meatball?”
‘Jersey Shore’ Canceled: 11 Wildest Moments (VIDEO)
Kevin Fallon
August 31, 2012
Daniel Holzman Daniel Holzman is the Chef/Owner of The Meatball Shop in New York City.
Fresh Picks
The Daily Beast
July 30, 2010
At The Meatball Shop, we serve sides of morels braised with carrots.
Fresh Picks
The Daily Beast
July 30, 2010

British Dictionary definitions for meatball

meatball

noun

minced beef, shaped into a ball before cooking
US and Canadian slang a stupid or boring person

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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for meatball

n.

1801, from meat + ball (n.1). As an insult to a person, by 1941.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper