Lemizh / English dictionary

blàp.

to make a momentum unit, a momentum of 53.13 millinewton-seconds (see appendix, Units of measurement)

Etymology

gender change of
< NLem bel‑a, academic loan of
< Koi βέλ‑ος ‘missile, arrow’, levelling of
< SHell *q̌él‑os
< PIE *gʷélh₁‑os, zero-affix noun of
  PIE *gʷelh₁‑ ‘hit, throw’

Gender change occurred to avoid homophony with blà. ‘strong’, and also because physicists wanted to be taken seriously.

Cognates

Eng ballistic (via Gk βάλλω ‘throw’) and probably ball (dancing party) (via Gk βαλλίζω ‘dance’)