name Common

Minecraft

MYN-krahft

Minecraft (name) means a hugely popular sandbox video game, first released in 2011, in which players build and explore a blocky 3D world. Example: “My kids spend hours building castles in Minecraft.”

name

A hugely popular sandbox video game, first released in 2011, in which players build and explore a blocky 3D world.

"My kids spend hours building castles in Minecraft."

verb

To play the video game Minecraft.

"We're going to minecraft after homework."

How to use Minecraft

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe block-building survival video game, or, informally, the act of playing it.

Word forms

Minecrafted past tense, minecraft plural, minecrafts plural, Minecrafts singular

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My kids spend hours building castles in _____.

Etymology

Coined from "mine" (digging) plus "craft" (building), reflecting the game's core loop of mining materials and crafting them into structures.

Rhymes for Minecraft

Lovecraft spacecraft shuttlecraft

See all rhymes for Minecraft →

Frequently asked questions

What does “Minecraft” mean?

The word “Minecraft” means a hugely popular sandbox video game, first released in 2011, in which players build and explore a blocky 3D world. In plain terms, the block-building survival video game, or, informally, the act of playing it.

How do you pronounce “Minecraft”?

“Minecraft” is pronounced MYN-krahft (/ˈmaɪnˌkɹæft/ in IPA).

How do you use “Minecraft” in a sentence?

Here is “Minecraft” used in a sentence: “My kids spend hours building castles in Minecraft.”

What part of speech is “Minecraft”?

Depending on how it is used, “Minecraft” can be a name and a verb.

Is “Minecraft” a common word?

“Minecraft” is a fairly common word in modern English.

How many meanings does “Minecraft” have?

“Minecraft” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a hugely popular sandbox video game, first released in 2011, in which players build and explore a blocky 3D world.

What is the difference between Minecraft as a noun and "to minecraft" as a verb?

As a noun, Minecraft refers to the sandbox video game itself, first released in 2011, in which players build and explore a blocky 3D world. As a verb, "to minecraft" means to play that game, a casual usage that treats the game's name as an action.

Why is Minecraft described as a sandbox game?

Minecraft is called a sandbox game because it gives players open-ended freedom to build and explore a blocky 3D world rather than following a fixed, linear storyline. This open structure is central to what defines the game.