badminton

American  

[bad-min-tn] / ˈbæd mɪn tn /

noun

1. a game played on a rectangular court by two players or two pairs of players equipped with light rackets used to volley a shuttlecock over a high net that divides the court in half.

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badminton ¹ British  

/ ˈbædmɪntən /

noun

1. a game played with rackets and a shuttlecock, which is hit back and forth across a high net

2. Also called: badminton cup.  a long refreshing drink of claret with soda water and sugar

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Badminton ² British  

/ ˈbædmɪntən /

noun

1. a village in SW England, in South Gloucestershire unitary authority, Gloucestershire: site of Badminton House, seat of the Duke of Beaufort; annual horse trials

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Usage

What is badminton? Badminton is a sport in which light rackets are used to volley an object—called a shuttlecock, shuttle, birdie, or bird—back and forth over a high net.Unlike other similar sports, such as tennis, badminton is not played with a ball—the shuttlecock is a kind of feathered cone with a cork head. (A shuttlecock is also used in the related sport of battledore).Competitive badminton, which is featured as an event in the Olympic Games, is played on an indoor court and can consist of one-on-one play or doubles. The rules of badminton are similar to those of other sports that use nets, like tennis and volleyball: if a player hits the shuttlecock out of bounds or lets it touch the ground on their side of the court, their opponent(s) get a point.Badminton is also played recreationally, often as a casual yard game with multiplayer teams (less casual if Uncle Tahir is on your team).Example: You’ll see some lightning-quick reflexes in Olympic-level badminton. 

Etymology

Origin of badminton

First recorded in 1835–45; named after Badminton, the country seat of the duke of Beaufort in Gloucestershire, England

Example Sentences

In badminton, India's Olympic and world medallist PV Sindhu remains stuck in Dubai, leaving her participation at the All England Championships - which start on Tuesday - in doubt.

From BBC • Mar. 2, 2026

The company began as a tennis shop before adding gear from other sports, including golf, fishing and badminton.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 4, 2026

“Areas in Vietnam have pickleball courts all over the place. China is growing because their badminton courts can fit pickleball too.”

From MarketWatch • Jan. 17, 2026

Tai started training and competing in badminton in elementary school and eventually became the first Taiwanese player to take the world number one title in late 2016.

From Barron's • Nov. 8, 2025

I couldn't understand what these people were doing, playing badminton and golf.

From "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath