Etymology

Noun

1. A fire in which bones were burned.
2. A fire to burn unwanted or disreputable items or people: proscribed books, heretics etc.
3. A large, controlled outdoor fire, as a signal or to celebrate something.

See also

• balefire, implying baleful fire
• bale akin to Old High German balo, Old Norse böl "evil, destruction, disaster"
• bale akin to Old English bœl, Old Norse bál "bonfire, fire"