Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for ballplayer. Search instead for Football+Player.

ballplayer

American  
[bawl-pley-er] / ˈbɔlˌpleɪ ər /

noun

  1. a person who plays ball professionally, especially baseball.

  2. anyone who plays ball.


ballplayer British  
/ ˈbɔːlˌpleɪə /

noun

  1. a player, esp in soccer, with outstanding ability to control the ball

  2. a baseball player, esp a professional

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of ballplayer

First recorded in 1610–20; ball 1 + player

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Bob was once so popular a ballplayer name that managers had to be careful not to trip over one Bob or another on their way through the clubhouse.

From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 17, 2025

“That guy is probably as big a baseball fan as anybody, just the history of the game and the competition. He’s a ballplayer, and it’s really cool to watch.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2025

Since he is no longer physically with us, I propose the National Baseball Hall of Fame committee and MLB take the necessary steps to enshrine this great ballplayer into the Hall of Fame posthumously.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 5, 2024

“The more I see him every day the more I realize how special of a person and a ballplayer he is.”

From Seattle Times • May 16, 2024

“And that’s some advice. You’re a good ballplayer, right?”

From "Slam!" by Walter Dean Myers

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "ballplayer" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com