'ballplatz' originates from German, specifically the word 'Ballplatz', where 'Ball' meant 'ball' and 'Platz' meant 'place' or 'square'.

'Ballplatz' was used in German to mean a place for ball games; the word was borrowed into English in contexts referring to German playgrounds or when using a German term directly, becoming 'ballplatz' in English usage.

Initially it meant 'place for ball games' in German, and over time the meaning has remained largely the same when the word is used in English.