tennis
tennis
Pronunciation
tennis
/ˈtɛnɪs/
ten-: /tɛn/
/t/: voiceless alveolar plosive
/ɛ/: open-mid front unrounded vowel
/n/: alveolar nasal
-nis: /ɪs/
/ɪ/: near-close near-front unrounded vowel
/s/: voiceless alveolar fricative
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: tennis
Plural Noun: tennis (It is a mass noun, so the plural form is the same as the singular when referring to the sport itself. However, when referring to multiple games or matches, one might say "tennis matches" or "tennis games.")
Adjective: tennis (e.g., "tennis shoes," "tennis court")
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
A racket sport played by two players (singles) or four players (doubles) on a rectangular court divided by a net. The objective is to hit a ball over the net in such a way that the opponent cannot return it legally.
Synonyms: sport, game, racket sport
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for a sport, but conceptually: inactivity, idleness)
The specific equipment used to play the sport of tennis, particularly the ball or racket.
Synonyms: tennis ball, tennis racket, gear, equipment
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms)
Adjective
Relating to or used in the sport of tennis.
Synonyms: athletic (in context of sports gear), sporty (in context of clothing)
Antonyms: non-athletic, non-sporting
Examples of Use
Books:
"He spent his summer afternoons on the clay courts, honing his tennis game." (From A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles, 2016)
"The memoir details her journey from a young prodigy to a global icon in the world of professional tennis." (Referring to Unbreakable: My Story, My Life by Jelena Dokic, November 2017)
Newspapers:
"Serena Williams's retirement from professional tennis marks the end of an era." (The New York Times)
"Local tennis club hosts annual charity tournament to raise funds for community programs." (Daily Nation)
Online Publications:
"Top 10 Must-Have Tennis Shoes for the 2025 Season." (Tennis.com)
"How to Improve Your Backhand in Tennis." (Wikihow.com)
Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "The film Challengers explores a love triangle set against the backdrop of professional tennis." (MGM)
Television Series: "The final episode of the documentary series focused on the intense rivalry between two legendary tennis players." (Netflix)
Video Game: "EA Sports Tennis 2025 offers realistic gameplay and a roster of current top players." (Electronic Arts)
Music: "The pop song's lyrics included a whimsical line about playing tennis on a Tuesday." (Example from a popular music streaming service)
General Public Discourse:
"I'm going to the park to play tennis later, want to join?" (Casual conversation among friends)
"Did you watch the Wimbledon tennis match yesterday? It was incredible!" (Discussion among sports fans)
"My doctor recommended I take up a new sport, and I'm thinking of trying tennis." (Personal anecdote)
10 Quotes Using Tennis
"Tennis is a perfect combination of violent action taking place in an atmosphere of total tranquility." (Billie Jean King)
"Tennis uses the language of life. Advantage, service, fault, break, love – the basic elements of tennis are those of everyday existence because every match is a life in miniature." (Andre Agassi)
"You always want to win. That is why you play tennis because you love the sport and try to be the best you can at it." (Roger Federer)
"Sport has taught me more about life than anything else." (Rafael Nadal, in reference to tennis)
"My whole life, up to now, has been tennis. My dad says I first picked up a racket when I was three, but I think it was even earlier." (Serena Williams)
"If you can react the same way to winning and losing, that's a big accomplishment. That quality is important because it stays with you the rest of your life, and there's going to be a life after tennis that's a lot longer than your tennis life." (Chris Evert)
"I believe you should give 100% on the court, so I chase every ball." (Andy Murray, referring to tennis)
"The depressing thing about tennis is that no matter how good I get, I'll never be as good as a wall." (Mitch Hedberg)
"Tennis was a white, upper-class sport, and I wanted it to be treated like other sports were." (John McEnroe)
"All my life I'd woken up to tennis, tennis, tennis. Even if I don't go to practise, I'm thinking about it all day." (Serena Williams)
Etymology
The word "tennis" has a really interesting journey! It comes from an old French word, "tenez," which means "take!" or "receive!"
Imagine this: In the Middle Ages, there was a game played in France that was an early form of tennis, often called "jeu de paume" (game of the palm), because players used their hands before rackets became common. When one player served the ball, they would shout "Tenez!" to their opponent as a warning or an invitation to play.
Over time, this shout of "Tenez!" became associated with the game itself. When the game spread to England, the English speakers adapted "tenez" into what we now know as "tennis."
So, the first known use of a word resembling "tennis" referred directly to this racket (or hand) and ball game, and its meaning was essentially a command to "take" or "receive" the ball. The game and the word evolved together!
Phrases + Idioms Containing Tennis
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "tennis," along with some related expressions:
Love-all (from tennis scoring, meaning a score of 0-0)
Advantage in/out (from tennis scoring, indicating who has the advantage after deuce)
The ball's in your court (idiom, meaning it's someone else's turn to take action, derived from tennis)
A straight-sets victory (refers to winning a tennis match without losing any sets)
Grand Slam (in tennis, refers to winning all four major tournaments in a calendar year)
Match point (the point that, if won, will win the entire tennis match)
Game, set, and match (the declaration that a tennis match has concluded)
Tennis elbow (a common injury, not exclusively from tennis, but strongly associated with it)
Court sense (an understanding of how to play well on a tennis court)
Serve and volley (a tennis playing style)
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of tennis from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
