tennis

[ ten-is ]
/ ˈtɛn ɪs /

noun

a game played on a rectangular court by two players or two pairs of players equipped with rackets, in which a ball is driven back and forth over a low net that divides the court in half.
Compare lawn tennis.

Origin of tennis

1350–1400; Middle English tenetz, ten(e)ys < Anglo-French: take!, imperative plural of tenir to hold, take, receive, apparently used as a server's call

Example sentences from the Web for tennis

British Dictionary definitions for tennis

tennis
/ (ˈtɛnɪs) /

noun

  1. a racket game played between two players or pairs of players who hit a ball to and fro over a net on a rectangular court of grass, asphalt, clay, etcSee also lawn tennis, real tennis, court tennis, table tennis
  2. (as modifier)tennis court; tennis racket

Word Origin for tennis

C14: probably from Anglo-French tenetz hold (imperative), from Old French tenir to hold, from Latin tenēre