root ball

noun

ˈrüt-ˌbȯl 

also ˈru̇t-

variants or less commonly rootball

plural root balls also rootballs

: the compact mass of roots and soil formed by a plant especially in a container

If there are large circling roots or you have a difficult time straightening the roots, the root ball should be thinned and the soil loosened before planting.

—Carey Brothers

Examples of root ball in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The root ball boundary or the outer edge of the soil-and-root mass typically extends from the main stem to just beyond the edge of the foliage. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 5 July 2026

To keep your ficus roots healthy, once a year, check the root ball. — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 July 2026

Plant food is then sprinkled onto the root ball and the surrounding soil. — Martha Stewart, 2 July 2026

Evergreen trees can shed water away from the root ball when a sprinkler is used. — Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for root ball

• aldol
• armhole
• atoll
• awol
• backhaul
• banal
• baseball
• befall
• cabal
• catchall
• cecal
• centrale