First Known Use: 1783
Dictionary
1balloon
noun bal·loon \bə-ˈlün\
: a thin usually rubber bag that becomes larger when it is filled with air or gas
: a picture or space in a cartoon that contains words that are spoken or thought by a character
Full Definition of BALLOON
1
: a nonporous bag of light material that can be inflated especially with air or gas: as a : a bag that is filled with heated air or a gas lighter than air so as to rise and float in the atmosphere and that usually carries a suspended load (as a gondola with passengers) b : an inflatable bag (as of rubber or plastic) usually used as a toy or for decoration
2
: the outline enclosing words spoken or thought by a figure especially in a cartoon
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Origin of BALLOON
French ballon large football, balloon, from Italian dialect ballone large football, augmentative of balla ball, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German balla ball — more at ball
Rhymes with BALLOON
aswoon, attune, baboon, bassoon, blue moon, buffoon, Calhoun, Cancún, cardoon, cartoon, cocoon, commune, doubloon, dragoon, festoon, fine-tune, forenoon, full moon, gaboon, gadroon, galloon, Gudrun, half-moon, harpoon, high noon, immune, impugn, jargoon, jejune, Kowloon, Kunlun, lagoon, lampoon, lardoon, Maine coon, maroon, monsoon, Neptune, new moon, oppugn, Pashtun, patroon, platoon, poltroon, pontoon, premune, puccoon, quadroon, ratoon, repugn, rough-hewn, saloon, Sassoon, shalloon, soupspoon, spittoon, spontoon, teaspoon, tribune, triune, tuchun, tycoon, typhoon, untune, Walloon
2balloon
adjective
Definition of BALLOON
1
: relating to, resembling, or suggesting a balloon <a balloon sleeve>
2
: being or having a final installment that is much larger than preceding ones in a term or installment note
First Known Use of BALLOON
circa 1786
Other Economics Terms
3balloon
verb
: to become bigger quickly
Full Definition of BALLOON
intransitive verb
1
: to swell or puff out : expand <ballooned to 200 pounds>
2
: to ascend or travel in or as if in a balloon
3
: to increase rapidly <ballooning prices>
transitive verb
See balloon defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of BALLOON
1841
Related to BALLOON
BALLOON Defined for Kids
1balloon
noun bal·loon \bə-ˈlün\
Definition of BALLOON for Kids
1
: a bag that rises and floats above the ground when filled with heated air or with a gas that is lighter than air
2
: a toy or decoration consisting of a rubber bag that can be blown up with air or gas
3
: an outline containing words spoken or thought by a character (as in a cartoon)
2balloon
verb
bal·loonedbal·loon·ing
Definition of BALLOON for Kids
: to swell or puff out
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