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.
The couple also dazzled in several other diamond pieces from the designer, including the bride's white gold diamond tennis bracelet and necklace. — Erin Clack, People.com, 30 Mar. 2025 Items taken included eight high-end Hermes Birkin handbags valued at a total of $310,000, a Louis Vuitton purse, a diamond ring and a tennis bracelet, cops said. — Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 26 Mar. 2025 Arevalo, 34, is the most accomplished Salvadoran tennis player in history and lives in Plantation. — Susan Miller Degnan, Miami Herald, 29 Mar. 2025 The contest used tennis as the example, but Mace had broader aspirations. — Jason Quick, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025 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 3 Apr. 2025.

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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

Nglish: Translation of tennis for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tennis

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