table tennis

American  

noun

1. a game resembling tennis, played on a table with small paddles and a hollow celluloid or plastic ball.

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table tennis British  

noun

1. a miniature form of tennis played on a table with small bats and a light hollow ball

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Etymology

Origin of table tennis

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

Sabbir reads manuals on the theory of navigation, and Islamic texts—or plays table tennis with his crew.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 9, 2026

At the same time, Anta was slowly getting its name out domestically, opening new shops and partnering with major sporting events, including national basketball and table tennis competitions.

From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026

Don't call it the "Marty Supreme" effect: table tennis is a growing sport in the United States, in part because of a new professional league giving the parlor game an ultra-competitive edge.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

Timothée Chalamet plays table tennis extremely well in ‘Marty Supreme.’

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 9, 2026

I in turn would tell him about the table tennis and soccer tournaments I had participated in, the performance we had given for visitors, if there was any that week.

From "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier" by Ishmael Beah