frisbee

IPA/ˈfrɪz.bi/
KK[frˈɪsbi]IPA/ˈfrɪz.bi/

frisbee — noun

  • frisbeesingular
  • frisbeesplural

1. a trademarked toy shaped like a shallow dish, typically made of brightly coloure

1.nounA2
Definition

a trademarked toy shaped like a shallow dish, typically made of brightly coloured plastic, that people toss to one another across an open space

Example

Beatrix threw the frisbee to her brother, and he caught it in one hand.

throw + frisbee + to [someone]

The children spent the whole afternoon throwing a frisbee on the grass.

spend time + throwing a frisbee

Common collocations
  • throw a frisbee
  • catch a frisbee
  • play frisbee
  • frisbee golf
  • a frisbee lands somewhere
  • frisbee flew through the air
Synonyms
  • flying disc

    the generic, non-trademarked term; used in official competition rules and formal writing

  • disc

    shorter form, common in compound nouns like disc golf; less specific than frisbee

Usage Note

Frisbee is a trademarked brand name, though it is often used generically for any flying disc. The plural form frisbees is sometimes used, but the word is most common in the singular with a or the. In formal or official contexts, the generic term flying disc is preferred.

Common Mistakes

He bought a new Frisbee at the store.
He bought a new frisbee at the store.
In everyday informal English the brand name is often written in lowercase, even though official usage capitalises it.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Frisbee is the best-known brand name for a flying disc, used casually in everyday conversation: I packed a frisbee for the beach. Flying disc is the generic, non-trademarked term preferred in official Ultimate Frisbee rules, disc golf regulations, and other formal contexts. Disc is a shorter all-purpose word that also appears in compounds like disc golf or disc sport. In informal British English, simply saying 'a frisbee' is most natural even if the object is not made by the trademark holder, whereas American usage tends to capitalise Frisbee when referring specifically to the brand.

frisbee ↗flying discdisc ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • play frisbee
  • throw a frisbee
  • catch a frisbee

Prepositions

  • in the park
  • on the beach
  • across the field
  • to someone

Etymology

Englishbrand name

The name Frisbee comes from the Frisbie Pie Company of Connecticut, USA. In the 1870s, students at nearby Yale University began throwing empty pie tins from the bakery for fun, calling out 'Frisbie!' to warn people. In 1948, a California inventor created a plastic version of the pie tin, and the toy company Wham-O renamed it Frisbee in 1957, deliberately changing the spelling to avoid legal issues with the bakery. The word is now a well-known trademark that has become a generic term for any flying disc.