'ballfield' originates from modern English, specifically the compound of 'ball' and 'field', where 'ball' derives from Old English words meaning 'round object' and 'field' derives from Old English 'feld' meaning 'open land'.

'ball' evolved from Old English (e.g. 'beall'/'balle') through Middle English ('bal') and 'field' comes from Old English 'feld'; the compound 'ballfield' developed in modern English to denote a field used for ball games.

Initially the components meant 'round object' (ball) and 'open land' (field); over time the compound came to mean 'an open area used to play ball games', which is its current meaning.