The world or realm of ball sports and games, or the community of people who participate in and follow ball-based athletics.
From 'ball' + the suffix '-dom' (meaning realm, domain, or the state of being), following the pattern of words like 'kingdom' and 'stardom.' The suffix '-dom' comes from Old English and originally meant 'condition' or 'state,' broadening to mean any sphere or realm.
The suffix '-dom' is incredibly productive in English—we can add it to almost anything to create new worlds: 'fandom,' 'boredom,' 'wisdom,' 'officialdom.' It's like we're always creating new kingdoms and domains in our minds!
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