golf

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A game in which players use clubs to hit a small ball into a series of holes on a large outdoor course, using as few hits as possible.

   My grandfather plays golf every Sunday morning.

2. 2
   verb

   To play the game of golf.

   They golfed all afternoon despite the rain.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Golf is recorded from the late Middle Ages as the name of the native Scottish game. Its deeper origin is uncertain, though it may be related to the later Dutch word kolg, “club” or “bat.”

The word is first known in English from the 17th century as a borrowing from Middle Scots golf, gouff. Although the etymology is uncertain, the most likely origin is that it comes from the Middle Dutch colve, colf (“club”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *kulbaz (“club”), related to German Kolben (“piston, rod”), Swedish kolv (“piston, rod”), Old English clopp (“rock; cliff”), English kelp.

Topics

External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary