Ballfield

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An open outdoor area marked and prepared for playing baseball or other ball games, often with a diamond-shaped infield and grass or dirt surfaces
2. A piece of open ground set aside and laid out so that people can play baseball, softball or similar games outdoors
3. A sports field designed for baseball or softball, typically with bases, a pitcher's mound and spectator seating around it

Etymology: "Ballfield" is a plain compound of "ball" and "field," with no hidden twist: it names an open field laid out for ball games. Both parts are old English words. "Ball" goes back to Old English and Old Norse roots for a round object, while "field" comes from Old English "feld," meaning open country or cleared land. Putting them together gives a literal description of the place: a field where balls are played. The compound follows the same pattern as many English place-names for sporting ground, such as "ballpark" or "playground," where a noun for the activity is joined to a word for the open space. Because the parts are so transparent, the meaning has changed little since the word was formed, and it still means exactly what it says.

Synonyms: ballpark, playing field, diamond