pickleball

noun

pick·​le·​ball ˈpi-kəl-ˌbȯl 

plural pickleballs

: an indoor or outdoor game that is played on a level court with short-handled paddles and a perforated plastic ball volleyed over a low net by two players or pairs of players

Pickleball is a paddle sport created for all ages and skill levels. This team sport can be played indoors or outdoors and takes place on a badminton court using a perforated plastic baseball (similar to a wiffle ball) and small paddles. The pickleball net is lowered to 34 inches for game play, and each game is played to a score of 11 points.

—The Winston-Salem (North Carolina) Journal

also : the ball used in this game

The day started out fine but a blast of chilly air soon blew through. When the clouds lifted there were strong winds which played havoc with the lightweight plastic pickleballs.

—Craig Garrett

pickleballer

ˈpi-kəl-ˌbȯ-lər 

noun

plural pickleballers

Other local pickleballers said they love how accessible the sport is whether you're a man, woman, youngster or senior. They said it's likely one of the reasons the sport has become increasingly popular …

—Brian Arola

Examples of pickleball in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

However, the new outdoor sports area is broadening the club's offerings beyond pickleball with six bocce ball and cornhole lanes, six sand courts for beach volleyball and beach tennis, and space for additional backyard games, including ladder ball, giant Jenga, and Connect 4. —Kylie Martin, Detroit Free Press, 11 Apr. 2024

Parque del Indio, off Ashford Avenue in the Condado neighborhood, is a refuge from the crowds with a pristine beach, kitesurfing and games of pickleball and volleyball. —Luisita Lopez Torregrosa, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024

Rally Pickleball Towel $20 Rally The social aspect and sheer cultural force of pickleball prompted friends Barrett Worthington and Meg Charity to launch Rally, a lifestyle brand that aims to connect people through the sport. —Perrie Samotin, Glamour, 29 Mar. 2024

Ultimately though, opponents of the current pickleball courts argue the issue isn’t actually about pickleball but is more about a private business flouting state and city guidelines. —Sierra Lopez, The Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2024

On the court, a referee led the pickleball action, while a crew of Smirnoff Smash Vodka Soda brand ambassadors and bystanders cheered on the players. —James Dinh, Billboard, 25 Mar. 2024

The city will explore the design and financial plausibilities of adding courts at either Sports Park or Veterans Park Facebook Show more sharing options Imperial Beach resident Bobby Bishop, 66, took on pickleball several years ago after tennis became too strenuous on his body. —Tammy Murga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2024

The nearly 10,000-square-foot home includes six beds, eight baths, seven fireplaces, a pickleball court, outdoor spa, ice cream bar, three custom offices and a gym with an indoor cana bath and private sauna. —Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024

Photo : Edmiston Yachts Pickleball, Anyone? When not being used for guest transfers, the sky-blue helipad conveniently doubles as a full-size pickleball court, with side lounges for guests to watch from the side lines. —Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 29 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

pickle entry 1 + ball entry 1

Note: The game was invented in the summer of 1965 by a group of neighbors on Bainbridge Island, Washington, including then state representative Joel Prichard (1925-97), Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum. According to one account, pickle was suggested by pickle boat, a boat in crew rowing made up of rowers not chosen by other teams (as pickleball was amalgamated from features of other paddle sports). Another account claims that pickle was inspired by a dog named Pickles owned by one of the neighbors (though it is also claimed that this dog was named after the sport). (See, among other sources, the website of the USA Pickleball Association, and www.pickleballportal.com.)

First Known Use

1973, in the meaning defined above