tennis

noun

ten·​nis ˈte-nəs 

often attributive

1

: an indoor or outdoor game that is played with rackets and a light elastic ball by two players or pairs of players on a level court (as of clay or grass) divided by a low net

2

: court tennis

Examples of tennis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Among the estate’s outdoor amenities are a tennis and pickleball court, a greenhouse, a cozy fire pit area, and a landscaped patio. —India Roby, Architectural Digest, 12 Nov. 2025

Today the club’s programming is an array of play — from softball to tennis and kickball games — to book club meet-ups, art workshops, group hikes and biking and beyond. —Deanna Taylor, USA Today, 12 Nov. 2025

Turin, Italy — 2025 was an epic year for American women’s tennis. —Amanda Davies, CNN Money, 12 Nov. 2025

The Gel-Resolution model, continued to lead the tennis footwear line with double-digit growth comparted to Q3 2024. —Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 12 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English tenetz, tenys, perhaps borrowed from Anglo-French tenez, 2nd person plural imperative of tenir "to hold" — more at tenant entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing tennis

• court tennis
• deck tennis
• lawn tennis
• paddle tennis
• platform tennis
• squash tennis
• table tennis
• tennis court
• tennis elbow
• tennis shoe

Rhymes for tennis

• menace

Kids Definition

tennis

noun

ten·​nis ˈten-əs 

: a game played with rackets and a light elastic ball by two players or two pairs of players on a level court divided by a low net