bat

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A small flying animal that comes out at night and feeds on insects or fruit.

   At dusk, dozens of bats flew out of the dark cave.

2. 2
   noun

   A wooden or metal stick used to hit the ball in games like baseball or cricket.

   She swung the bat and hit the ball over the fence.

3. 3
   verb

   To hit a ball with a bat, or to take your turn hitting in a game.

   He batted the ball hard into left field.

4. 4
   verb

   To open and close your eyes quickly.

   She batted her eyelashes and smiled at him.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

The name of the flying mammal developed from an early medieval form meaning “back,” adopted from a Scandinavian word. It was altered to bat in the 16th century, perhaps under the influence of Latin batta or blacta, “an insect that shuns the light.” The unrelated bat used for striking a ball was adopted from French in the Old English period and is related to battery. A third unrelated military use survives in batman: it came through French from medieval Latin bastum, “packsaddle,” and originally referred to a man responsible for a bat-horse carrying officers’ luggage.

From Middle English batten, baten (“to beat”), from Old French batre (“to beat”), from Late Latin battere, from Latin battuere, of uncertain origin; perhaps of Germanic or Celtic origin. In modern English reinterpreted as a verbal derivative of Etymology 2. Compare batter, battery.

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External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary