billiards

American  

[bil-yerdz] / ˈbɪl jərdz /

noun

(used with a singular verb)

1. any of several games played with hard balls of ivory or a similar material that are driven with a cue on a cloth-covered table enclosed by a raised rim of rubber, especially a game played with a cue ball and two object balls on a table without pockets.

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billiards British  

/ ˈbɪljədz /

noun

1. any of various games in which long cues are used to drive balls now made of composition or plastic. It is played on a rectangular table covered with a smooth tight-fitting cloth and having raised cushioned edges

2. a version of this, played on a rectangular table having six pockets let into the corners and the two longer sides. Points are scored by striking one of three balls with the cue to contact the other two or one of the two Compare pool 2 snooker

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Other Word Forms

• billiardist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of billiards

First recorded in 1585–95; plural of billiard

Explanation

Billiards is a table game in which players try to knock balls into pockets with a long stick. The game known as "pool" is considered to be one type of billiards. When you challenge a friend to a game of billiards, you'll take turns tapping hard balls with the end of a cue stick. These balls roll across a cloth-covered table and knock against other balls. The goal of the game is to get certain balls into certain pockets. Billiards is said to have evolved from lawn games like croquet, and the word itself, originally referring to the stick itself, comes from the French bille, or "stick."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

billiards

Every time we shoot more stuff up into space, we risk it hitting something else, as in a giant game of billiards.

From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026

It is estimated that some 60 million people play billiards in China ever year, in around 300,000 halls like the one in Xi'an.

From BBC ● May 7, 2026

Through social media, there are groups for just about everything: Young expats, families, veterans, billiards, pickleball and hikers, to name a few.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 19, 2026

The game feels a little slower, more reliant on careful lobs than power; it reminds me a little of billiards, though squash is probably padel’s closest relative.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 27, 2025

So as soon as we saw the stuff getting displayed in the billiards room, we decided to take turns keeping look-out.

From "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro