Volleyballs

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of ball specifically designed for the sport involving teams aiming to hit it over a net; often made of synthetic materials with an inflated interior; utilized in both recreational and competitive play across various settings
2. A spherical object used in a team sport that consists of two sides hitting the ball back and forth over a dividing net; generally constructed to be lightweight and durable for effective gameplay; commonly associated with indoor and beach variations of the sport
3. An equipment piece in a sport that requires players to strike it with their hands to score points by getting it to land in the opponent's court; characterized by its soft, flexible surface and suitable for different playing environments; played professionally and for fun worldwide

Etymology: The word is an inflected form: the plural of "volleyball", the name of the net game. Its base is the compound of "volley" and "ball", and the plural simply adds the usual "s" to make it count more than one ball. The game itself was invented in 1895 in Holyoke, Massachusetts, by William G. Morgan, who first called it Mintonette after the game of badminton. The name changed after Alfred Halstead, an observer at its first exhibition match in 1896 at the International YMCA Training School (now Springfield College), noticed how the players kept the ball in the air by volleying it back and forth. The name then spread quickly, first written as two words, "volley ball", before becoming a single word.

Synonyms: beach balls, sport balls