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.

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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

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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

Hunter, whose father is the former Sheffield United striker Darius Henderson, has played tennis since the age of three and is based at Doncaster Lawn Tennis Club.

From BBC • Jun. 30, 2026

"Tennis just isn't at the forefront in Britain," said Evans, who is rare as a British player considered as having a working-class background.

From BBC • Jun. 30, 2026

Other former on-court rivals and fellow International Tennis Hall of Fame members also offered their heartfelt support in the comment section of Evert’s post.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 26, 2026

The renowned Piatti Tennis Centre is also in Italy, but in a town very different to Sexten.

From BBC • Jun. 22, 2026

She sat on a bench outside of the Enoch Washington Memorial Tennis Courts.

From "The Parker Inheritance" by Varian Johnson