Bocces

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A sport involving players throwing balls as close as possible to a smaller target ball on a smooth court ; a game played by aiming heavy balls to rest near a target in a strategic manner ; an Italian-origin game where participants roll or toss balls to score points by proximity to a smaller ball on a flat playing area
2. A competitive outdoor activity where teams or individuals aim their balls to be nearest to a smaller ball called the pallino ; a game requiring precision and skill to toss balls on a flat surface, aiming for distance accuracy; a leisure activity focused on ball placement as close as possible to a designated smaller ball to win rounds
3. A precision ball sport where participants attempt to place their balls near a small target ball on a court, often played in teams; a pastime involving measured throws to position balls closer than opponents’ near a smaller reference ball; a game encouraging accuracy and strategy as players roll heavy balls toward a target ball on a smooth ground

Etymology: "Bocces" is the plural form of "bocce," the game's name in English, which was borrowed from Italian, where "bocce" is the plural of "boccia," meaning a ball or bowl. The Italian word traces back to a Latin-derived idea of a round object, the same root that gave English words for a bowl-shaped vessel. Players in the sport roll or toss their balls toward a smaller target, called the pallino in Italian, and the closest ball scores. The name is a good example of an Italian plural being taken into English as if it were a singular. Speakers who played the game in Italian-American communities heard "bocce" as the name of the whole activity, so the form became the standard English noun for the game itself. Because of that, English speakers now use "bocce" for both the sport and the balls, and "bocces" appears mainly when referring to multiple balls or sets.

Synonyms: bowling games, lawn bowling, balls game, boules