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, a tennis-like sport played on a smaller court, places a gentle strain on the body …

—Sarah Larson

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

In February of last year, Martinez proudly opened eight brand-new pickleball courts to the public. —John Ramos, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026

The 45-mile Pinellas Trail joins dog parks, golf courses, the historic St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club, pickleball courts, and more to keep residents busy and active in their downtime. —Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 15 Mar. 2026

To celebrate the park’s renewal, a Picnic & Play Day is taking place March 21 at Arena Green East, near the Little Italy and the new pickleball courts. —Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2026

With a full-service spa, multiple pools, pickleball courts, mini golf course, and giant yard games, there’s never a dull moment. —Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2026

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

Rhymes for pickleball

• aerosol
• alcohol
• arbitral
• basketball
• butanol
• cannonball
• carbinol
• catarrhal
• cortisol
• ethanol
• fireball
• gasohol