tennis ball

American

noun

a hollow ball used in tennis, made of rubber with a fuzzy covering of woven Dacron, nylon, or wool.

tennis ball British

noun

a hollow rubber ball covered with felt, used in tennis

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of tennis ball

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"Pick any sort of motor control task -- like hitting a tennis ball or swinging a bat at a baseball," Aimone said.

From Science Daily • Feb. 14, 2026

Imagine trying to find a tennis ball in one of a thousand closed draws.

From BBC • Jan. 7, 2026

The white plastic ball, the size of a tennis ball, is packed with ball bearings that rattle as it rolls.

From Barron's • Nov. 22, 2025

The animal was running around with it like it was a tennis ball.

From Salon • Jan. 7, 2025

Outside, Dad is pitching a tennis ball to David on the front lawn.

From "Rules" by Cynthia Lord

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023