basketball

American  

[bas-kit-bawl, bah-skit-] / ˈbæs kɪtˌbɔl, ˈbɑ skɪt- /

noun

basketballs plural

1. a game played by two teams of usually five players each on a rectangular court having a raised basket or goal at each end, points being scored by tossing the ball through the opponent's basket.

2. the round, inflated ball approximately 30 inches (76 centimeters) in circumference, used in this game.

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basketball British  

/ ˈbɑːskɪtˌbɔːl /

noun

1. a game played by two opposing teams of five men (or six women) each, usually on an indoor court. Points are scored by throwing the ball through an elevated horizontal metal hoop

2. the inflated ball used in this game

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• probasketball
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• basketballs
  plural

Etymology

Origin of basketball

An Americanism dating back to 1890–95; basket + ball ¹

Explanation

Basketball is a team sport in which players work together to bounce a ball down the length of a court and throw it through a hoop. Some college basketball games are hugely popular and very competitive. In basketball, two teams of five players collaborate to score points by successfully throwing the ball — also called a basketball — through the nets that hang from hoops at either end of the court. The game was invented in 1891, and the word basketball first appeared in print the next year, from basket and ball.

Example Sentences

Besides free agency opening on Tuesday, the timing does add up for Leonard’s trade, as Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank has steered the franchise through a refreshing youth movement over the past year.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 30, 2026

For live sports, there’s a full slate of WNBA, NWSL, golf and Big 3 basketball.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 30, 2026

Some inside the room compared it to “two boys at recess yelling at each other over a foul on the basketball court.”

From Salon • Jun. 26, 2026

When it comes to accessories, basketball caps will shade your eyes when it's sunny, but will leave your ears and neck completely exposed.

From BBC • Jun. 25, 2026

“Later, when I started playing basketball, same thing happened. I practiced and I got better. So that’s my tip. Remember the piccolo,” he says as we pull up to the park.

From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko

Related Words

• ball