ball hog

noun

chiefly US
: a player on a team sport (such as basketball) who controls and shoots the ball excessively instead of passing it to teammates : a player who hogs the ball
Prodigiously gifted, Bryant can also get under his teammates' skin—an occasional ball hog on the court and standoffish in the locker room.Allison Samuels et al., Newsweek, 19 June 2000

Word History

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ball hog was in 1960

The Ultimate Dictionary Awaits

Expand your vocabulary and dive deeper into language with Merriam-Webster Unabridged.

  1. Expanded definitions
  2. Detailed etymologies
  3. Advanced search tools
  4. All ad-free

Discover what makes Merriam-Webster Unabridged the essential choice for true word lovers.

Start Your Free Trial Now

Dictionary Entries Near ball hog

Cite this Entry

“Ball hog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ball%20hog. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!