basket

noun

bas·​ket ˈba-skit 

 British also  ˈbä-

1

a

: a receptacle made of interwoven material (such as osiers)

b

: any of various lightweight usually wood containers

c

: the quantity contained in a basket

2

: something that resembles a basket especially in shape or use

3

a

: a net open at the bottom and suspended from a metal ring that constitutes the goal in basketball

b

: a field goal in basketball

4

a

: an aggregate of values (as of selected currencies) the average of which serves as a monetary standard

b

: a selection of financial instruments (such as equities, futures, or options) the values of which reflect market fluctuations

5

: a ring around the lower end of a ski pole that keeps the pole from sinking too deep in snow

basketlike

ˈba-skit-ˌlīk 

adjective

Examples of basket in a Sentence

They brought their lunch in a picnic basket.

His shot missed the basket completely.

Recent Examples on the Web

On Wednesday, Flagg missed a potential game-tying basket at the buzzer in Dallas’ loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. —Christian Clark, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025

Each basket could feed up to 10 people and included a turkey, a bag of potatoes, bread rolls, vegetables, sweets and side dishes. —Anna Kleiber, jsonline.com, 9 Nov. 2025

This end table, which is going for under $30, has three shelves that can hold a lamp, books, storage baskets, and other living room accessories. —Kaitlin Gates, PEOPLE, 8 Nov. 2025

How to Watch Dallas Mavericks at Memphis Grizzlies Memphis dropped its fourth straight game on Wednesday night, scoring the game’s first basket and never leading again in a 124-109 loss to the visiting Houston Rockets. —Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French; akin to Old French baschoue wooden vessel; both from Latin bascauda kind of basin, of Celtic origin; akin to Middle Irish basc necklace — more at fascia

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing basket

• basket case
• basket catch
• basket hilt
• basket-of-gold
• basket star
• basket weave
• Easter basket
• made/scored a basket
• market basket
• pollen basket
• put all one's eggs in one basket
• Venus's flower-basket

Rhymes for basket

• casket
• gasket
• mascot
• wastebasket

Kids Definition

basket

noun

bas·​ket ˈbas-kət 

1

a

: a container made by weaving together materials (as reeds, straw, or strips of wood)

b

: the contents of a basket

2

: something that resembles a basket

3

a

: a net open at the bottom and hung from a metal ring that is the goal in basketball

b

: a score made in basketball by tossing the ball through the basket

basketlike

-ˌlīk 

adjective