Bunts

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of short, gentle hit in baseball intended to place the ball in a specific area while sacrificing the batter's chance to get on base
2. A batting technique in which the player lightly taps the ball instead of swinging fully, often to advance baserunners
3. A strategic play in the sport that involves softly tapping the ball with the bat to control its direction, primarily for advancing runners rather than scoring directly

Etymology: "Bunts" is simply the plural of "bunt," the baseball term for a batting technique in which the batter holds the bat still and lightly taps the ball, usually to advance baserunners rather than to drive it far. The plural form is the one you will see when people discuss several such attempts, or several such hits, in a game. The word itself is the noun "bunt," which in baseball is used for the act of making that tap. Its history is treated in the entry for the singular noun, so the plural carries the same meaning and origin, with nothing separate to trace here.