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Definition of tennis

tennis

/ˈtɛn.ɪs/
ten · nis
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tennis Lexical Profile

tennis Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A racket sport played on a rectangular court by two players or pairs of players, who use stringed rackets to strike a hollow, felt-covered rubber ball over a central net into the opponent's court.

Example

"She has been practicing her serve for three hours every morning to prepare for the upcoming tennis tournament."

• Rhymes for tennis

• Nearby Words

tenderloin
tendon
tennessee
tennis
tenpounder
tensift
tent

Word Origin & Etymology

From Middle English 'tenetz' or 'tenes', derived from Anglo-Norman and Old French 'tenez' (meaning 'hold!', 'receive!', or 'take!'), the imperative of the verb 'tenir'. This was a call traditionally shouted by the server to their opponent before serving the ball.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Tennis. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/tennis
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