rollerballn.
/ˈrəʊləbɔːl/, U.S. /ˈroʊlərˌbɔl/, /ˈroʊlərˌbɑl/ 1. A ball incorporated into a device in such a way that it rotates freely.
ΚΠ
1885 Med. Bull. (Philadelphia) Apr. 130/2 These arms move up and down very rapidly, carrying a great number of elastic rubber roller balls.
1900 Official Gaz. (U.S. Patent Office) 9 Jan. 242/1 In a furniture caster,..a roller-ball seated against antifriction devices applied to the boss.
1988 Family & Home Office Computing July 49/1 A+ Mouse doesn't pick up dirt (as Apple's and most other mice do with their roller balls).
1999 Ingenious Jigs & Accessories iv. 108/1 My solution was a fold-away extension table that uses rows of roller balls to support the workpiece.
2. A device employing such a ball.
a. Computing. = track-ball n. at track v.1 Compounds.
ΘΚΠ
society > computing and information technology > hardware > peripherals > [noun] > control devices > mouse
mouse1965
rollerball1966
track-ball1969
tracker ball1969
1966 Interavia Aug. 1206/3 The selection of data for presentation and the input of new information is effected from a keyboard, and the positioning of data is achieved by a roller ball.
1980 A. R. Boyle in D. R. Fraser Taylor Computer in Contemp. Cartogr. I. iv. 53 Pointing to position on the screen can be done by roller ball, joystick or ‘mouse’.
2002 Daily Tel. 26 Nov. 39/2 We got him a large rollerball, then glued up the right-click button with superglue as his little finger kept catching it.
b. An applicator for a liquid (esp. a deodorant or cosmetic) consisting of a bottle having a freely rotating ball as a stopper, such that when the bottle is inverted the liquid flows over and coats the ball; a product packaged in such an applicator; = roll-on n. 2.
ΚΠ
1980 Chicago Tribune 1 Apr. iv. 6/1 This new Faberge deodorant, tagged the Brut 33 roller-ball, will soon be moved into most major U.S. markets.
1992 Cosmetics Internat. (Nexis) 25 Jan. 3 The product is applied via a compact rollerball which the company believes has a number of advantages over other application methods.
2008 Newsday (N.Y.) (Nexis) 17 Dec. b13 Limited-edition..key chain that includes mini rollerballs of Be Delicious fragrances and lip glosses.
c. A type of ballpoint pen which uses a low-viscosity ink in order to write more smoothly.A proprietary name in the United Kingdom.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > writing > writing materials > writing instrument > [noun] > pen > ballpoint pen
ball-point pen1943
ball pen1946
Biro1947
ballpoint1959
rollerball1981
1981 Times 15 June 15/5 The rollerball uses the free wet ink flow found in fibre and fountain pens but dispenses the ink by a ballpoint.
1996 J. Morgan Debrett's New Guide Etiquette & Mod. Manners 169 Good-quality paper is always milled to suit fountain pens and not the more liquid formulations of roller balls.
2005 N.Y. Mag. 7 Feb. 53/1 (caption) This roller ball writes as well as any fountain pen.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, November 2010; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.1885