Definition

1. Noun:
   • A sport played with rackets by two or four players, who hit a ball back and forth over a net that divides a rectangular court. It is the formal name for the modern game of tennis, originally distinguished by being played on a grass (lawn) surface.

Usage and Examples

• Noun:
  • Lawn tennis became an Olympic sport again in 1988.
  • The club's facilities are primarily for lawn tennis.
  • She prefers the tradition of lawn tennis to other racket sports.

Advanced Usage

• The term "lawn tennis" is often used in formal, historical, or traditional contexts to distinguish the sport from its predecessor, real (royal) tennis, or from other similar games. In everyday modern usage, it is typically just called "tennis".
  • The museum exhibit detailed the evolution of lawn tennis from the 19th century.

Variants and Related Words

• Tennis (n): The common, modern term for lawn tennis.
• Court tennis / Real tennis (n): An earlier, more complex indoor racket sport from which lawn tennis is derived.
• Racket (n): The equipment used to hit the ball in lawn tennis.
• Grand Slam (n): The achievement of winning the four major lawn tennis championships.

Synonyms

• Tennis: The direct and most common synonym.
• Court tennis: This can be a synonym in specific historical contexts but usually refers to the precursor sport.

Notes on Meaning

• While "lawn tennis" technically refers to the sport regardless of the court surface (grass, clay, hard court), its name originates from its initial playing surface: a lawn. The term persists as the sport's official name in many organizations (e.g., the "International Tennis Federation" governs "lawn tennis").

Noun

1. a game played with rackets by two or four players who hit a ball back and forth over a net that divides the court