pelota
Noun: 1. A court game of Basque or Spanish origin: "Pelota" refers to a traditional sport, originally from the Basque region of Spain and France, played in a specially designed court. The game involves propelling a ball against a wall using a hand, a racket, or a basket-like implement.
"Pelota" is used as a singular, countable noun to name the specific sport. It is often capitalized when referring to the sport in a formal or historical context, similar to other proper nouns for games (e.g., Rugby, Tennis). * Pelota is considered the national sport of the Basque Country. * The museum had an exhibit on the history of Pelota. * He is learning to play pelota.
- The fast-paced pelota match drew a large crowd to the frontón (court).
- Several varieties of pelota exist, differing in the type of equipment used to strike the ball.
- Jai alai is a well-known form of pelota played with a wicker basket (cesta).
- "Frontón": This is the Spanish term for the three-walled court specifically designed for playing pelota.
- "Cesta punta": A specific, high-speed variant of pelota where players use a long, curved wicker basket (a ) to catch and throw the ball.
- Jai alai (noun): A specific, professional variant of pelota played with a . The term is of Basque origin meaning "merry festival."
- Frontenis (noun): A modern racquet sport that combines elements of pelota and tennis, played on a frontón.
- Court game: A general term for any game played on a defined court, such as tennis, squash, or handball. Pelota is a type of court game.
- Handball (in some contexts): In a broad sense, some simpler forms of pelota played with the hand can be likened to handball, though they are distinct sports with different rules and courts.
The core meaning of "pelota" is the name of the sport itself. It is not typically used to mean just "ball" in English, though the word derives from the Spanish word for "ball." In English, "pelota" exclusively refers to the family of court games.
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a Basque or Spanish game played in a court with a ball and a wickerwork racket
