tennis

American  

[ten-is] / ˈtɛn ɪs /

noun

1. a game played on a rectangular court by two players or two pairs of players equipped with rackets, in which a ball is driven back and forth over a low net that divides the court in half.

---

tennis British  

/ ˈtɛnɪs /

noun

1. 1. a racket game played between two players or pairs of players who hit a ball to and fro over a net on a rectangular court of grass, asphalt, clay, etc See also lawn tennis real tennis court tennis table tennis

   2. ( as modifier )

      tennis court

      tennis racket

---

Etymology

Origin of tennis

1350–1400; Middle English tenetz, ten ( e ) ys < Anglo-French: take!, imperative plural of tenir to hold, take, receive, apparently used as a server's call

Explanation

Tennis anyone? Tennis is a sport that's played with a small, felt-covered rubber ball and rackets. The basic goal in tennis is hitting the ball across a net. There are two types of tennis: singles, when two individuals face off, and doubles, which involves teams of two players. If you can hit a tennis ball with a racket, you can play tennis. Historians believe that tennis grew out of a 12th century French game called la paulme, "the palm," in which players hit a ball with their hands. The word tennis comes from the Anglo-French tenetz, "Hold! Take! Receive!" which players called out before serving.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tennis

Elsewhere in women's tennis, Venus Williams lost in the first round of the Mubadala DC Open in Washington DC on Tuesday.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

"For JioStar, tennis broadens the engagement calendar, attracts affluent urban audiences and diversifies advertiser categories beyond cricket," says Bhalla.

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

Then, when he was eight, Barce picked up a tennis racket from the bin and started practising.

From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026

At a Manila tennis court, Celso Mugot said his determination to learn the sport had intensified because of Eala's success.

From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026

He also wore a white T-shirt and white tennis shoes.

From "Breaking Through" by Francisco Jiménez