bowl

1 of 3

noun (1)

plural bowls
1
: a concave usually nearly hemispherical vessel : a rounded container that is usually larger than a cup
a soup bowl
a set of mixing bowls
specifically : a drinking vessel (as for wine)
2
: the contents of a bowl
ate a bowl of rice
3
: a bowl-shaped or concave part: such as
a
: the hollow of a spoon or tobacco pipe
b
: the receptacle of a toilet
cleaning toilet bowls
4
a
: a natural formation or geographical region shaped like a bowl
b
: a bowl-shaped structure
especially : an athletic stadium
5
football : a postseason game between specially invited teams
college bowl games
bowled adjective
bowlful noun

bowl

2 of 3

noun (2)

plural bowls
1
a
: a ball that is used in lawn bowling and that is shaped with a bias (see bias entry 1 sense 3a) so that it swerves when rolled

Note: Bowls were formerly made of lignum vitae with weights added to produce a bias, but are now composed of hard, dense plastic.

b
bowls plural in form but singular in construction : lawn bowling
playing bowls
2
: a delivery of the ball in the game of bowling
3
: a cylindrical roller or drum (as for a machine)

bowl

3 of 3

verb

bowled; bowling; bowls

intransitive verb

1
a
: to participate in a game of bowling
bowls every Thursday night
b
: to roll a ball in bowling
your turn to bowl
2
: to travel smoothly and rapidly (as in a wheeled vehicle)

transitive verb

1
a
: to roll (a ball) in bowling
b(1)
: to complete by bowling
bowl a spare
(2)
: to score by bowling
bowls 150
2
: to strike with a swiftly moving object
being bowled over by a base runner

Examples of bowl in a Sentence

Verb I don't think I can bowl a 12-pound ball. We bowl every Thursday night. Do you like to bowl? I haven't bowled since I was a kid. She usually bowls around 150.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
While the pet parents enjoyed traditional Thanksgiving fare, the canine attendees were treated to pet-safe food options made with Ollie products and plenty of goodies like custom dog bowls and caricatures. Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 20 Nov. 2023 And a Japanese mortar and pestle, a brilliant little tool whose ceramic bowl has a toothy, rough interior, effortlessly grinds spices to a fine powder. Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 19 Nov. 2023 Rocky then turned the program over to Hoke in January 2020 after guiding the Aztecs to nine straight bowl appearances. Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Nov. 2023 The bowl of warm-weather flavors is a blend of mango, banana, pineapple, and coconut milk (no dairy!), and the smoothie's bright green color comes from fresh spinach. Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Nov. 2023 Make egg wash: Combine the eggs and a bit of water in a shallow bowl. Karen Schroeder-Rankin, Southern Living, 17 Nov. 2023 Of the 24 quarterbacks drafted in the first round since 2017, 11 were outside of the New Year’s Six bowls and only Richardson sat out. Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 16 Nov. 2023 With five different sizes and shapes, the kit can house wine glasses, a variety of plates, bowls and more. Korin Miller, wsj.com, 16 Nov. 2023 Crafted from porcelain, these bowls resist cracks, stains, and scratches, while their elegant weight adds a touch of quality and style. Hannah Rice, Rolling Stone, 14 Nov. 2023
Verb
More stories In better times, 7 million Americans took bowling seriously enough to join weekly leagues, often playing for office or factory teams. David Wharton, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2023 On squid ships, which make up a large portion of the Chinese distant-water fleet, every surface is covered in oozy ink, and at night the decks are bathed in bright light from bowling ball-sized bulbs that are used to attract squid to the surface of the water. Ian Urbina, TIME, 26 Oct. 2023 Utah State has been bowl eligible 10 of the past 12 years. Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Nov. 2023 Dressed in loose, peasant-style garb by costume designer Danielle Preston, all the actors do a terrific job keeping the pace bowling along, while varying the tone and stepping smoothly into the roles of various characters. Celia Wren, Washington Post, 2 Nov. 2023 Bobbi-Lynn Nichols and her younger sister Tricia were bowling at Just-In-Time Recreation on Wednesday night. Greg Hanlon, Peoplemag, 27 Oct. 2023 Three weeks ago, Aaron had bowled 275 at the facility, now the site of a mass shooting. Jeong Park, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2023 Add mixed greens, apple, cranberries, feta, pistachios, and roasted sweet potato to bowl with dressing, and toss to fully coat. Marianne Williams, Southern Living, 22 Sep. 2023 Prince Fielder's bowling ball celebration (Sept. 6, 2009). Jr Radcliffe, Journal Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bowl.' 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

Noun (1)

Middle English bolle, from Old English bolla; akin to Old High German bolla blister

Noun (2) and Verb

Middle English boule, from Middle French, from Latin bulla bubble

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of bowl was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near bowl

Cite this Entry

“Bowl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bowl. Accessed 5 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

bowl

1 of 3 noun
1
: a rounded dish generally deeper than a basin and larger than a cup
2
: the contents of a bowl
3
: the bowl-shaped part of something (as a spoon)
4
a
: a rounded valley or geographical region
the dust bowl
b
: a bowl-shaped stadium or theater
5
bowled adjective

bowl

2 of 3 noun
1
a
: a ball shaped to roll in a curved path for use in lawn bowling
b
plural : lawn bowling
2
: a cast of the ball in bowling or bowls

bowl

3 of 3 verb
1
: to roll a ball in bowling or bowls
2
: to move smoothly and rapidly
Etymology

Noun

Old English bolla "bowl"

Noun

Middle English boule "a weighted ball," from early French boule (same meaning), from Latin bulla "bubble" — related to boil entry 2

More from Merriam-Webster on bowl

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