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
Carey BrothersExamples of root ball in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Choose a container slightly wider and deeper than the root ball of your parsley.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 1 Nov. 2025
Trees with attached root ball displacements were noted, including one where the original location could not be determined.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025
As for any containerized tree, once its roots fill the pot, extract it and symmetrically pare down its root ball by one-third.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 27 Sep. 2025
When the pot is loose, use two hands to lift your monstera up and be sure to support the plant’s root ball and stems at all times to avoid breaks.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for root ball
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Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 1 Nov. 2025
Trees with attached root ball displacements were noted, including one where the original location could not be determined.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025
As for any containerized tree, once its roots fill the pot, extract it and symmetrically pare down its root ball by one-third.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 27 Sep. 2025
When the pot is loose, use two hands to lift your monstera up and be sure to support the plant’s root ball and stems at all times to avoid breaks.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for root ball
Cite this Entry
“Root ball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/root%20ball. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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