US /ˈvɒlibɔ(ː)l/
noun Freq #13498

Meanings

  1. 1
    noun

    A game in which two teams hit a large ball over a high net with their hands.

    We played volleyball on the beach all afternoon.

  2. 2
    noun

    The inflated ball used in this game.

    She served the volleyball over the net.

Thesaurus

Word family
Forms volleyballs
Derived forms volleyballenevolleyballerwallyball

Etymology

From volley + ball. In 1895, in Holyoke, Massachusetts, William G. Morgan created a new game called Mintonette, a name derived from the game of badminton. After an observer, Alfred Halstead, noticed the volleying nature of the game at its first exhibition match in 1896, played at the International YMCA Training School (now called Springfield College), the game quickly became known as volleyball (it was originally spelled as two words: "volley ball")

View etymology graph ->

Topics

markdown

Send feedback

Optional — only if you'd like a reply.