basket

American  

[bas-kit] / ˈbæs kɪt /

noun

1. a container made of twigs, rushes, thin strips of wood, or other flexible material woven together.

2. a container made of pieces of thin veneer, used for packing berries, vegetables, etc.

3. the amount contained in a basket; a basketful.

   to pick a basket of apples.

4. anything like a basket in shape or use.

   He never empties my wastepaper basket.

5. any group of things or different things grouped as a unit; a package; package deal.

   You can't buy the single stock; you have to take the basket—all companies, stocks and bonds.

6. the car or gondola suspended beneath a balloon, as for carrying passengers or scientific instruments into the atmosphere.

7. Basketball.

   1. an open net suspended from a metal rim attached to the backboard and through which the ball must pass in order for a player to score points.

   2. a score, counting two for a field goal and one for a free throw.

8. Also called snow ring.  Skiing. a ring strapped to the base of a ski pole to limit penetration of the pole in the snow.

9. Slang: Vulgar. the male genitals, especially when outlined by a tight-fitting garment.

---

basket British  

/ ˈbɑːskɪt /

noun

1. a container made of interwoven strips of pliable materials, such as cane, straw, thin wood, or plastic, and often carried by means of a handle or handles

2. Also called: basketful.  the amount a basket will hold

3. something resembling such a container in appearance or function, such as the structure suspended from a balloon

4. basketball

   1. an open horizontal metal hoop fixed to the backboard, through which a player must throw the ball to score points

   2. a point or points scored in this way

5. a group or collection of similar of related things

   a basket of currencies

6. informal a euphemism for bastard bastard

7. the list of items an internet shopper chooses to buy at one time from a website

   add these items to your basket

---

basket Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing basket

• put all one's eggs in one basket

---

Other Word Forms

• basketlike adjective
• unbasketlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of basket

1250–1300; Middle English basket ( te ) < early Romance *baskauta (> French dialect bâchot, bachou wooden or interwoven vessel, Old High German baskiza box) < Latin bascauda basin, perhaps < British Celtic

Explanation

A basket is a container made of woven straw or other material. You might keep your dirty clothes in a plastic laundry basket. There are many different types of baskets, from the shopping basket you carry in a grocery store to the basket you aim for when you throw a basketball. There are figurative baskets, too, like the basket you add items to when you're shopping online. What's known about the origin of basket is that it comes from the Anglo-French bascat — beyond that, it's a mystery.

Example Sentences

He pointed to a basket of 10 leading AI companies tracked by Pantera — both public and private — that’s trading about 33% above its four-year trend line.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 28, 2026

They got tangled up under the basket and exchanged words briefly.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 27, 2026

To measure inflation, the government estimates the price of a basket of hundreds of goods and services that supposedly represent everyday expenses for the “average American.”

From Slate • Apr. 24, 2026

"We can't put all our eggs in one basket," he added.

From Barron's • Apr. 23, 2026

“I’m sorry I haven’t come around to see you,” he said as I hoisted my basket up.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

Related Words

• box
• crate