billiards
billiards Lexical Profile
billiards Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Any of various indoor cue sports played on a rectangular, cloth-covered table with cushioned rails, in which a long tapered stick (cue) is used to strike small hard balls against one another or into pockets.
"After dinner, the guests gathered in the recreation room for a friendly game of billiards."
Specifically, a cue game (such as carom billiards or English billiards) played with three balls on a table, in which points are scored by striking the cue ball so that it hits both of the other two balls in succession.
"Three-cushion billiards requires an exceptional command of geometry and spin because the table has no pockets."
Word Nuance & Usage
Although plural in form, "billiards" takes a singular verb (e.g., "Billiards is a game of precision"), and its singular root "billiard" is used when functioning as an attributive modifier before another noun (e.g., "billiard ball", "billiard table").
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 16th century from French billard, meaning a curved stick or cue used to strike a ball, derived from Old French bille, meaning a wooden log or stick.