Korfball

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈkɔː(ɹ)fbɔːl/

Definitions

1. A competitive sport involving two teams that strive to score by throwing a ball into a vertical hoop, while fostering balanced gender representation among participants
2. This team game requires players from each side to aim for a basket, highlighting equitable participation between genders and collaborative teamwork
3. A sport played by two teams aiming to throw a ball through a hoop while emphasizing equal involvement of both genders and teamwork among players

Etymology: Korfball was invented in the Netherlands in 1902 by Nico Broekhuysen, a Dutch teacher who wanted a game that boys and girls could play together on equal terms. The name is a compound of two Dutch words: "korf", meaning basket, and "bal", meaning ball. The sport's basket is the origin of its name, and the hoop it is played with stands on a tall post rather than a backboard. English took the word directly from Dutch, so it is a borrowing rather than a translation or a Latin-derived coinage. Its meaning has stayed close to the original idea of a basket and ball game, with the mixed-gender team rule remaining central to how the sport is organised.

Synonyms: mixed gender ball game, team sport, netball variant, basketball variant, goalball