Sports vocabulary with meaning

This post is an essential guide to the most important sports terminology. It is about general sports terms and definitions. (Sports words)

• Athlete

A person who plays sports

• Athletics

Sports in which people run, jump, or throw things to see who is the best.

• Player

Someone who plays a sport

• Team

A group of sportsmen who play together.

• Captain

The leader of a team or group.

• Coach

A coach is a person who teaches sports.

• Referee

A person who controls a game.

• Amateur

A person who plays a sport for enjoyment, not as a job.

• Professional

A person who plays a sport as a paid job.

• Match

A formal contest or game.

• Goal

The act of kicking or hitting the ball into the goal; a point that is scored for this.

• Spectators

People who are watching a sporting event.

• Fans

People who admire or enjoy watching a game like football. (Football fans)

• Supporters

People who support a player or a sports team. (Football supporters).

• Score

A number of goals or points each player or team has.

In most sports, a score of zero is called “nil”. However, in tennis and table tennis, it’s called “love”.

A score of 1:1, 2:2, 3:3, etc. is called “one all”, “two all”, “three all”, etc.

• Cup

A prize, shaped like a bowl, usually made of gold or silver.

• Medal

A piece of metal, usually round or shaped like a cross, given to someone who has won a game or contest.

• Contest

A competition or game in which people compete.

• Rules

The laws of a game or contest.

• Tournament

A sports competition. ( A tennis tournament)

• Champion

A competitor that has defeated all others in a game or contest.

• Award

A prize, a payment, etc. given to someone in recognition of an achievement

Sports vocabulary with meaning: Verbs

• Exercise

To run or play sports so that you can be healthy.

• Train

To prepare for a sports event by exercising. (He’s training for the race.)

• Attack

To take the initiative in a contest, game, etc. to attempt to score a goal or point.

• Defend

To try to prevent your opponent from scoring a goal or point.

• Praise

To show that you like someone or something. (The coach praised the player for scoring a brilliant goal.)

• Last

To continue or go on for an amount of time. (The football match lasted for about 2 hours.)

• Score

To gain or achieve a point or a goal in a game.

• Win

To be victorious or come first in a contest, a race, etc.

• Lose

To fail to win a game, a contest, etc.

• Beat

If you beat someone in a contest, a competition, a game, etc., you win.

• Defeat

To win a victory over a player or team in a competition or game.

• Draw

To end a game or match with an equal result, so that no one wins.

• Support

To want a team, a player, a group, etc. to succeed/win.

• Cheer on

To encourage a player or a team by shouting.

• Compete

To take part in a competition or contest.

• Award

To give someone an award.

• Whistle

The referee whistles when the players break the game rules.

Sports vocabulary with meaning: Places where you play or do sports:

• Pitch

An area painted with lines for playing particular sports, especially football. (A football/hockey/cricket pitch)

• Court

The place where you play tennis.

• Course (= golf course)

A large area of land where you can play golf.

• Track

A piece of land with special surfaces for people, cars, motorcycles, etc to have races on. ( a running track for example).

• Pool (= swimming pool)

An area of water that has been designed for people to swim in.

• Slope

An area of land that is part of a mountain where you can go skiing.

• Ring

A square area on a platform, marked off by ropes, where boxers or wrestlers fight.

• Rink (=ice rink or skating rink)

A specially prepared flat surface of ice where you can ice skate.

Sports vocabulary with meaning: Popular sports

• Football
• Basketball
• Handball
• Volleyball
• Tennis
• Badminton

• Table tennis
• Squash
• Cricket
• Rugby
• Hockey
• Athletics
• Gymnastics

• Cycling
• Boxing
• Wrestling
• Horse-racing

• Motor racing
• Sailing
• Windsurfing
• Snooker

• Weight-lifting

Sports equipment

• Swimsuit
• Clubs
• Cue
• Balls
• Bat
• Ski sticks
• Goggles
• Gloves
• Gumshield
• Racket
• Running shoes
• Saddle
• Skates
• Parallel bars
• Vault
• Weights

We hope you found the sports vocabulary with meaning useful. You might like to learn these words with ee

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