basketball

noun

bas·​ket·​ball ˈba-skit-ˌbȯl 

often attributive

: a usually indoor court game between two teams of usually five players each who score by tossing an inflated ball through a raised goal

also : the ball used in this game

Examples of basketball in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Few players have had the impact on basketball that WNBA legend Diana Taurasi has. —Andy Frye, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024

Enter sophomore guard JuJu Watkins and the USC women’s basketball squad of 2024-25. —Benjamin Royer, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024

The big picture: The Big 12 looks like the toughest conference in college basketball, with six teams in the preseason top 25 and five in the top 10. —Jeremy Duda, Axios, 4 Nov. 2024

Fans were amused by the basketball team taking the city's public transit system. —Marina Watts, People.com, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1891, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing basketball

• fantasy football/baseball/basketball

Kids Definition

basketball

noun

bas·​ket·​ball -ˌbȯl 

: a court game in which each of two teams tries to toss an inflated ball through a raised goal

also : the ball used in this game