# ballot

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈbælət/ · frequency rank #6,440

## Definitions
1. A small ball placed in a container to cast a vote; now, by extension, a piece of paper or card used for this purpose, or some other means used to signify a vote.
2. The process of voting, especially in secret; a round of voting.
3. The total of all the votes cast in an election.
4. A list of candidates running for office; a ticket.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Italian balota (obsolete), ballotta (“small ball, especially one used to register a vote”), from balla (“bale, bundle”) + -otta (suffix forming diminutive nouns); or from Middle French balote (obsolete), ballotte (“small ball used to register a vote”) (also compare Middle French balotiage, French ballottage (“second ballot, runoff”)); both ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *ballu (“ball”), from Proto-Germanic *balluz (“ball”).

## Easily confused with
- **blot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ballot-vs-blot)
- **balls** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ballot-vs-balls)
- **bello** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ballot-vs-bello)
- **bally** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ballot-vs-bally)
- **bullet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ballot-vs-bullet)
- **Barlow** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ballot-vs-barlow)
- **bellow** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ballot-vs-bellow)
- **billet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ballot-vs-billet)
- **ball** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ball-vs-ballot)
- **ballet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ballet-vs-ballot)
- **ballad** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ballad-vs-ballot)
- **balboa** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/balboa-vs-ballot)
- **ballon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ballon-vs-ballot)
- **baller** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baller-vs-ballot)
- **balled** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/balled-vs-ballot)
- **balloon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/balloon-vs-ballot)
- **bailout** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bailout-vs-ballot)
- **ballast** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ballast-vs-ballot)

## Common misspellings (7)
`abllot`, `ballott`, `ballto`, `balolt`, `balot`, `bballot`, `blalot`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/ballot