Etymology

From Proto-Albanian *baltā, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰoləto- 'white', a derivative of Proto-Indo-European *bʰelH- ‎(“shining, white”). Cognate with Common Slavic *bolto ‎(“swamp”), Lithuanian báltas ‎(“white, shining”). Borrowed into Romanian baltă ‎(“mud, swamp”) and Modern Greek βάλτος ‎(váltos, “swamp”)^[1]. Often considered an Illyrian substratum word.