An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Ballast

by Friedrich Kluge

Ballast, masculine, ‘ballast,’ like other maritime expressions, from Low German; compare Dutch ballast, English ballast. In Middle High German simply last, ‘ballast,’ whence the equivalent French lest is derived. The first component of the compound is obscure; it is scarcely of Irish origin (Keltic bal, ‘sand’), nor is it likely to be identical with Old Icelandic bâra, ‘sea.’ On account of Danish baglest, ‘ballast.’ the least improbable derivation is from bak, ‘back,’ discussed under Backe (1.). Ballast might perhaps be ‘load behind or in the rear.’