noun

basketball

basketball

He loves to play basketball.

He loves to play basketball.

Can you pass me the basketball?

Can you pass me the basketball?

((as a sport)) to play basketball He plays basketball every weekend.

((as an object)) a basketball Can you throw me the basketball?

Synonyms: hoops (slang)

A compound word from 'basket' and 'ball', literally a game where a ball is thrown into a basket.

Think of the two parts: a 'ball' and a 'basket'. It refers to both the sport (uncountable) and the ball itself (countable).

This page is designed for learning support. Please use it as a learning reference, not as a formal reference.