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

Across eight episodes, competitors must build their own cooking stations, earn mystery ingredient baskets through physical challenges and prepare dishes over open fire while battling unpredictable weather and rugged conditions. —Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026

But buying individual stocks generally carries greater financial risks than buying a basket of diversified securities — and those risks are heightened in the early days of an IPO, Ritter said. —Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 12 June 2026

With the Spurs up by a point, Hart came away with an errant pass by Fox and had a clear path to the basket. —Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 11 June 2026

In the waning moments, Jalen Brunson missed a three-pointer to take the lead, but OG Anunoby glided to the hoop in time to get just enough of his hand on the ball to direct it basket-ward. —Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 11 June 2026

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

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