baseball
/ˈbeɪs.bɔːl/ · base·ball
noun
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A sport common in North America, the Caribbean, and Japan, in which the object is to strike a ball so that one of a nine-person team can run counter-clockwise among four bases, resulting in the scoring of a run. The crowd cheered as the baseball team scored a home run.
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The ball used to play the sport of baseball. The baseball bounced off the bat and rolled into the outfield.
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A variant of poker in which cards with baseball-related values have special significance. The poker player won the hand with a baseball-themed card combination.
Etymology
From the English words 'base' and 'ball', originating from the 18th-century English game of rounders, which was influenced by the bat-and-ball games of the British Isles.
Did you know? The first professional baseball team, the Cincinnati Red Stockings, was formed in 1869 and played a 93-game season.
Written by Lexi Wordsworth, Dictionary Editor
6 lookups
Added Jul 14, 2026