'balnibarbi' originates from English, specifically coined by Jonathan Swift in his satirical work 'Gulliver's Travels' as the word 'Balnibarbi', where it was created as an invented place-name rather than derived from identifiable classical prefixes or roots.

'balnibarbi' was introduced in early modern English by Swift (first published 1726) and has remained essentially unchanged in form and meaning since its creation; it is a literary coinage rather than a word with a longer historical linguistic evolution.

Initially, it meant 'the fictional land beneath Laputa in Gulliver's Travels'; over time it has retained that specific literary meaning and is used primarily in literary, historical, or critical discussion of Swift's work.