pelota

American  

[puh-loh-tuh, pe-law-tah] / pəˈloʊ tə, pɛˈlɔ tɑ /

noun

pelotas plural

1. a Basque and Spanish game from which jai alai was developed.

2. the game of jai alai.

3. the ball used in pelota and jai alai.

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pelota British  

/ pəˈlɒtə /

noun

1. any of various games played in Spain, Spanish America, SW France, etc, by two players who use a basket strapped to their wrists or a wooden racket to propel a ball against a specially marked wall

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• pelotas
  plural

Etymology

Origin of pelota

1890–95; < Spanish: ball < Middle French pelote; see pellet

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pelota pelotas

Among the constructions preserved to this day is the sunken ballcourt where the Maya played pelota.

From BBC ● Aug. 2, 2022

The old ballgame: In the San Fernando Valley, a Mexican sport — pelota mixteca — is keeping a language alive.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 27, 2018

As a kid Irigoyen played pelota, a racquetball-like sport that morphed into jai alai in Florida, Nevada and parts of New England.

From Washington Times ● May 7, 2016

If you cannot get a ticket for the Rays game at the Estadio Latinoamericano, head to the Parque Central in Old Havana to observe the gatherings of baseball fanatics who talk pelota year-round.

From New York Times ● Mar. 15, 2016

Every village had a pelota court and on some of them kids were playing in the hot sun.

From "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway

The passionate crowd yelled, and the pelotas were flying, when, softly, the angelus began to ring.

From Ramuntcho by Loti, Pierre