basketball

American  

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

noun

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

• probasketball
  adjective

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

Former Stanford University basketball coach Mike Montgomery told US media that it was a "sad day" and that Collins was one of the school's "greats".

From BBC • May 13, 2026

To play basketball you need only a ball and a basket.

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026

For another, James spent the first round of the playoffs reminding the basketball world what he is still capable of—even as the oldest player in the NBA.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 10, 2026

"Air Bud Returns," slated for release in US theaters in 2027, is the latest chapter in a franchise that began in 1997 featuring a runaway circus dog who has an extraordinary ability to play basketball.

From Barron's • May 10, 2026

I turn to scramble away, and that’s how I don’t see the incoming basketball.

From "Popcorn" by Rob Harrell

Related Words

• ball