basketball

[ bas-kit-bawl, bah-skit- ]

/ ˈbæs kɪtˌbɔl, ˈbɑ skɪt- /

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noun

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.

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

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Origin of basketball

An Americanism dating back to 1890–95; basket + ball¹

OTHER WORDS FROM basketball

pro·bas·ket·ball, adjective

Words nearby basketball

basis weight, basivertebral vein, bask, Baskerville, basket, basketball, basket case, basket catch, basket cell, basket chair, basket clause

How to use basketball in a sentence

The Associated Press issued men’s college basketball rankings this past Monday, and the list boiled with blasphemy.
College basketball’s kingdoms have gone haywire — in case you just started paying attention|Chuck Culpepper|February 12, 2021|Washington Post
Howard cancels men’s basketball season because of covid concerns
In schedule shuffle, Maryland will host Nebraska on back-to-back days next week|Emily Giambalvo|February 12, 2021|Washington Post
Hearing it so often — 162 times in a baseball season, half that in basketball or hockey — makes each version less special.
The pregame national anthem — in all its roiling contradictions — still has something to offer|Barry Svrluga|February 11, 2021|Washington Post
As Abdur-Rahim pushed the issue, basketball people he respected, including his friend and former agent Aaron Goodwin, convinced him the league needed to drastically increase the compensation and create a more refined program.
An NBA experiment lets draft prospects skip college, stay home and get paid to play|Michael Lee|February 11, 2021|Washington Post

The Big Ten has moved its men’s basketball conference tournament to Indianapolis, the league announced Tuesday.
Big Ten moves men’s basketball tournament to Indianapolis|Emily Giambalvo|February 9, 2021|Washington Post
He was very even-keeled, goofy and liked to play basketball.
Protesters Demand Justice For Gurley As Gap Grows Between Cops and NYC|M.L. Nestel|December 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Soccer in the rest of the world is what we know as basketball.
Tim Howard’s Wall of Intensity|William O’Connor|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was around noon that Brinsley chucked the phone behind a radiator at the basketball stadium and went off the grid.
Alleged Cop Killer Ismaaiyl Brinsley Had a Death Wish|M.L. Nestel|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I watch football, basketball, and hockey on TV and sometimes “The Bass Pros” on Outdoor Channel.
Up to a Point: They Made Me Write About Lena Dunham|P. J. O’Rourke|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The basketball game was the final engagement on a seriously busy day for the young royals.
When Your Royalty Met Ours: Kate Meets Bey Courtside|Tom Sykes|December 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
From what I was told he was a stevedore and had once been a professional basketball player.
Warren Commission (11 of 26): Hearings Vol. XI (of 15)|The President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy
The closed-bottom basket used in the game of basketball is so high that it is difficult to remove the ball after a goal is made.
The Boy Mechanic, Book 2|Various
Many members were not interested in basketball, except to look on.
Grace Harlowe's Plebe Year at High School|Jessie Graham Flower
A basketball is passed quickly around the circle, moving in one direction only.
Games and Play for School Morale|Various
A basketball is thrown from one player to another, across the circle, or may be passed to the nearest neighbor.
Games and Play for School Morale|Various

British Dictionary definitions for basketball

basketball

/ (ˈbɑːskɪtˌbɔːl) /

noun

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

the inflated ball used in this game

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

basketball

Origin of basketball

OTHER WORDS FROM basketball

Words nearby basketball

Words related to basketball

How to use basketball in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for basketball