basketball

IPA/ˈbɑːskɪtbɔːl/
KK[bˈæskətbˌɔl]IPA/ˈbæskɪtbɔːl/

basketball — noun

  • basketballsingular
  • basketballsplural

1. a court sport where five players on each side try to get points by putting the b

1.nounA1
Definition

a court sport where five players on each side try to get points by putting the ball into a hoop above the floor

Example

Nina plays basketball with her cousins behind the school every Friday.

play basketball

After dinner, Dad watched basketball and shouted at every missed shot.

watch basketball

Common collocations
  • play basketball
  • watch basketball
  • basketball game
  • basketball team
  • basketball court

Grammar Patterns

play basketball

watch basketball

be good at basketball

Usage Note

Uncountable when it names the sport, so after play you normally say just 'basketball', not 'a basketball'. Use sense 2 for the object itself.

Common Mistakes

We play the basketball after class.
We play basketball after class.
sport names usually take no article after 'play'.
My sister is good in basketball.
My sister is good at basketball.
the usual pattern is 'good at' for sports.

2. the large orange ball that players bounce, pass, and throw into the hoop in this

2.nounA2
Definition

the large orange ball that players bounce, pass, and throw into the hoop in this sport

Example

Leo tucked a basketball under his arm and ran to practice.

countable: a basketball

The wet basketball slipped from Emma's hands near the free-throw line.

Common collocations
  • dribble a basketball
  • pass a basketball
  • shoot a basketball
  • signed basketball
  • orange basketball
Synonyms
  • ball

    a general word; 'basketball' names the ball used for this specific sport

Grammar Patterns

dribble a basketball

pass a basketball

shoot a basketball

Usage Note

Countable in this sense: you can say 'a basketball' or 'three basketballs'. Distinguish from sense 1, where the word names the sport and is usually uncountable.

Common Mistakes

He bought basketball at the sports shop.
He bought a basketball at the sports shop.
this sense is countable, so it needs an article or a plural form.

Word family

  • basketball player
    nounA2

Common collocations

Nouns

  • basketball game
  • basketball player
  • basketball court
  • basketball hoop
  • basketball shoes

Phrases

  • play basketball
  • watch basketball
  • love basketball
  • practice basketball

Prepositions

  • at basketball
  • in basketball

Etymology

English

Made in English from 'basket' and 'ball'. The name describes the early game, where players tried to throw the ball into a basket fixed above the floor. Even after the basket became the modern hoop and net, the name stayed the same.