baseball

American  

[beys-bawl] / ˈbeɪsˌbɔl /

noun

1. a game of ball between two nine-player teams played usually for nine innings on a field that has as a focal point a diamond-shaped infield with a home plate and three other bases, 90 feet (27 meters) apart, forming a circuit that must be completed by a base runner in order to score, the central offensive action entailing hitting of a pitched ball with a wooden or metal bat and running of the bases, the winner being the team scoring the most runs.

2. the ball used in this game, being a sphere approximately 3 inches (7 centimeters) in diameter with a twine-covered center of cork covered by stitched horsehide.

3. Cards. a variety of five-card or seven-card stud poker in which nines and threes are wild and in which threes and fours dealt face up gain the player either penalties or privileges.

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baseball British  

/ ˈbeɪsˌbɔːl /

noun

1. a team game with nine players on each side, played on a field with four bases connected to form a diamond. The object is to score runs by batting the ball and running round the bases

2. the hard rawhide-covered ball used in this game

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Other Word Forms

• probaseball adjective

Etymology

Origin of baseball

First recorded in 1795–1805; base ¹ + ball ¹

Example Sentences

The family that includes a 10, 11 and 18-year-old had come into town from Minnesota for a baseball trip -- "we didn't know it was happening until we got down here," she told AFP.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

So he went to Driveline, the high-tech baseball laboratory in Kent, Wash., where major leaguers reshape their careers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

That might sound like the bare minimum, but as he scoured around for the ideal spot, the former international found many were tailored for NFL, basketball or baseball teams.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

What will it cost to watch all of your favorite baseball team’s games on TV this season?

From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026

Maybe there was enough to bring back a real baseball for Jeb.

From "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty G. Birney