bat — a piece of wood used for hitting the ball in sports like baseball
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a piece of wood used for hitting the ball in sports like baseball
Pronunciation (IPA): /bæt/
Example Sentences
- The vampire bat ordered a bloody mary at the baseball game.
- She didn't bat an eye when her cat brought home a dead bat.
- The wooden bat cracked when it hit the fastball.
bat
NOUN[/bæt/]
a piece of wood used for hitting the ball in sports like baseball
He swings the bat hard and sends the ball flying over the fence.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word 'bat' has two distinct etymologies in English. The sporting implement derives from Middle English 'batte' (stick), likely from Old French 'batte' meaning a club or cudgel. The flying mammal comes from a separate Scandinavian origin, possibly related to Old Norse or similar Germanic sources, with the animal name ultimately connected to verbs meaning 'to beat' or 'to strike'.
Breakdown
For the sports implement: batte (Middle English stick/club). For the animal: from Scandinavian languages, possibly related to Germanic roots connected to hitting or fluttering motion, with both senses semantically linked to impact or movement.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The vampire bat ordered a bloody mary at the baseball game.”
“She didn't bat an eye when her cat brought home a dead bat.”
“The wooden bat cracked when it hit the fastball.”
“Bats use echolocation to navigate in the dark.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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