Global
/ˈɡloʊ.bəl/noun
Relating to the whole world or to all parts of something.
Did you know?Global comes from Latin globus, meaning “sphere” or “ball,” and that same ancient root also gave us words for roundness, clusters, and even the idea of something rolling together into one whole.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gʷlebʰ-
“to roll into a ball, swell, or cluster”
Latin
Latin
globus
“a round mass, sphere, or ball”
Late Latin
Latin
globalis
“pertaining to a sphere or globe”
Middle French
French
global
“whole, total, entire”
16th Century
English
global
“relating to a globe or sphere”
20th Century
English
global
“worldwide; covering the whole world”
Explore more surprising origins