volleyball
VO-lee-bawl
Volleyball (noun) means a team sport in which players hit an inflated ball back and forth over a net without letting it touch the ground on their own side. Example: “Our school has a volleyball team that trains every Tuesday evening.”
noun
1
A team sport in which players hit an inflated ball back and forth over a net without letting it touch the ground on their own side.
"Our school has a volleyball team that trains every Tuesday evening."
"Volleyball is popular on holiday beaches because you only need a net."
"They set up a net on the beach and played volleyball all afternoon."
2
The ball used in this sport.
"Please pump up the volleyball before the match begins."
"She caught the volleyball with both hands and served it again."
"The volleyball rolled under the bleachers."
How to use volleyball
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA sport where two teams hit a ball over a net without letting it touch the ground.
Common pairings
beach volleyball
play volleyball
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Word forms
- Plural
- volleyballs
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Our school has a _____ team that trains every Tuesday evening.
Etymology
Coined in the 1890s in Massachusetts from volley + ball, after an observer noticed the "volleying" back-and-forth nature of the newly invented game (originally called Mintonette).
Synonyms
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volleyball game
Frequently asked questions
What does “volleyball” mean?
The word “volleyball” means a team sport in which players hit an inflated ball back and forth over a net without letting it touch the ground on their own side. In plain terms, a sport where two teams hit a ball over a net without letting it touch the ground.
How do you pronounce “volleyball”?
“Volleyball” is pronounced VO-lee-bawl (/ˈvɒlibɔ(ː)l/ in IPA).
How do you use “volleyball” in a sentence?
Here is “volleyball” used in a sentence: “They set up a net on the beach and played volleyball all afternoon.”
What part of speech is “volleyball”?
“Volleyball” is a noun.
Where does the word “volleyball” come from?
The word “volleyball” dates back to around 1890. Coined in the 1890s in Massachusetts from volley + ball, after an observer noticed the "volleying" back-and-forth nature of the newly invented game (originally called Mintonette).
Is “volleyball” a common word?
“Volleyball” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “volleyball” have?
“Volleyball” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a team sport in which players hit an inflated ball back and forth over a net without letting it touch the ground on their own side.
What is the difference between volleyball and beach volleyball?
Standard volleyball is played indoors on a hard court with six players per team, while beach volleyball is played on sand, most commonly with two players per side. Both share the same basic goal of hitting the ball over a net without letting it touch the ground on your own side.
What is the difference between volleyball the sport and a volleyball the object?
Volleyball can refer either to the team sport itself or to the inflated ball used to play it. Context usually makes the meaning clear, as in "we're playing volleyball" versus "pass me the volleyball."
Is volleyball a contact sport?
Volleyball is generally considered a non-contact sport because opposing players are separated by a net and do not physically engage each other. Contact in volleyball is limited to hitting the ball, not other players.
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