croquet

American  

[kroh-key, kroh-key, -kee] / kroʊˈkeɪ, ˈkroʊ keɪ, -ki /

noun

1. a game played by knocking wooden balls through metal wickets with mallets.

2. (in croquet) the act of driving away an opponent's ball by striking one's own when the two are in contact.

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verb (used with object)

croqueted, croqueting

1. to drive away (a ball) by a croquet.

croquet British  

/ ˈkrəʊkeɪ, -kɪ /

noun

1. a game for two to four players who hit a wooden ball through iron hoops with mallets in order to hit a peg

2. the act of croqueting

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verb

1. to drive away (another player's ball) by hitting one's own ball when the two are in contact

Etymology

Origin of croquet

1855–60; < French (dial.): hockey stick, literally, little hook; see crocket

Explanation

Croquet (rhymes with “okay”) is a lawn game played by whacking a wooden ball with a mallet. It was all the rage in Europe in the 1800s, but people still play it worldwide, often at summer parties. When you play croquet, you have a colored wooden ball and a matching mallet. Players take turns trying to hit their balls under a series of hoops or to knock someone else’s out of the way. When Alice is in Wonderland, the Queen of Hearts uses a flamingo as a mallet and a hedgehog for a ball, but that is not recommended. In Northern French dialect, croquet means "hockey stick," originally "shepherd's crook" in Old North French.

Example Sentences

It’s croquet for people who like running on the tops of speeding trains.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

He was also photographed playing croquet with his staff on the lawn at Dorneywood, the official country home that came with the job of deputy prime minister.

From New York Times • Nov. 21, 2024

Against an illustrated garden backdrop, some models carried tennis rackets or croquet mallets.

From Reuters • Sep. 15, 2023

It turned out the guests who rented the waterfront home weren’t just playing croquet, they were holding a tournament that ended shortly after sunset, but the celebration continued.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 21, 2023

He plays croquet, not well, and sings sea chanteys.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood