basket

noun

bas·​ket ˈba-skit How to pronounce basket (audio)
 British also  ˈbäs-
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 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 The Lions also attacked the basket more efficiently, tallying six more points in the paint. Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Mar. 2024 The bunnies were given their names, which are painted on the shirt collars of each boy and the Easter basket on the arm of each girl, sometime in the 1970s. Sidney Steele, Kansas City Star, 7 Mar. 2024 Robert Hinton kept Harvard-Westlake in the game in the second quarter with five baskets and finished with 16 points. Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024 Emmett Basket Planter This seagrass basket planter is perfect for a living room or sunroom and ideal for a taller plant, like a fiddle-leaf fig tree. Christianna Silva, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Mar. 2024 The Bulls got within seven on a basket by Julian Phillips with 5:47 remaining, cut the deficit to three on a 3-pointer by Dosunmu and tied the game on a layup by White with 1:32 to play. Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 5 Mar. 2024 ETFs are investment tools that track a basket of assets but trade like a stock. Allison Morrow, CNN, 4 Mar. 2024 The Celtics held a staggering 82-38 lead at the half, assisting on 20 baskets while making just one turnover. Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2024 The Bruins raced to a 12-0 lead, forcing three Utah turnovers before the Utes scored their first basket. Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'basket.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of basket was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near basket

Cite this Entry

“Basket.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/basket. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

basket

noun
bas·​ket ˈbas-kət How to pronounce basket (audio)
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 adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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