Etymology Dictionary

BALD,  deprived of hair.  (C.)   M.E. balled, ballid, a dissyllable; P. Plowman, B. xx. 183.   Chaucer has:  'His head was balled, and schon as eny glas;' Prol. 198.   The final -d thus stands for -ed, like the -ed in spotted, and serves to form an adj. from a sb.   'The original meaning seems to have been (1) shining (2) white, as a bald-faced stag;' note in Morris's Glossary.   A bald-faced stag is one with a white streak on its face; cf. Welsh bal, adj., having a white streak on the forehead, said of a horse; bali, whiteness in the forehead of a horse.   Cf. also Gk. φαλακρός, bald-headed; φαλαρός, having a spot of white, said of a dog, φαλιός, white, φαληρός, shining.—Gael. and Irish bal or ball, a spot, mark, freckle; whence the adj. ballach, spotted, speckled. + Bret. bal, a white mark on an animal's face. + Welsh bali, whiteness in a horse's forehead.   B. Cf. also Lith. balu, balti, to be white; Fick, ii. 442, iii. 208.   The root is probably bhá, to shine; whence also the O. Irish bán, white.   See Curtius, i. 369, 370.   Der. bald-ness (M.E. ballednesse or ballidnesse, Wyclif, Levit. xiii. 42), bald-head-ed.