tennis

noun

ten·​nis ˈte-nəs How to pronounce tennis (audio)
often attributive
1
: an indoor or outdoor game that is played with rackets and a light elastic ball by two players or pairs of players on a level court (as of clay or grass) divided by a low net
2
: court tennis

Examples of tennis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
After weeks of sleep deprivation, Kong in August fell asleep in her parked car with the A/C running before tennis practice. — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026 The concierge can arrange morning canoe outings, paddleboarding, beach tennis, and weekend yoga classes; bicycles are also available for rent to ride along the waterfront. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Oct. 2026 The six-bedroom, six-bath farmhouse is considered a hub for recreation and relaxation with a 75-foot swimming pool, spa, gym, sauna, tennis and bocce courts. — Kat Tran october 29, Sacbee.com, 29 Oct. 2026 And the Obama administration’s series of immigration executive actions instigated a tennis match of such orders between subsequent administrations ever since. — Justin Gest, The Conversation, 29 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tennis

Word History

Etymology

Middle English tenetz, tenys, perhaps borrowed from Anglo-French tenez, 2nd person plural imperative of tenir "to hold" — more at tenant entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of tennis was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing tennis

Rhymes for tennis

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Browse Nearby Words

tennies
tennis
tennis ball
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Cite this Entry

“Tennis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tennis. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

tennis

noun
ten·​nis ˈten-əs How to pronounce tennis (audio)
: a game played with rackets and a light elastic ball by two players or two pairs of players on a level court divided by a low net

More from Merriam-Webster on tennis

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tennis

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