Sports Lingo

About Sports Lingo

Sports Lingo is a free word games quiz with 15 multiple-choice questions with a mix of 5 easy, 5 medium, 5 hard questions. Can you decode these sports terms and expressions? A typical run takes about 7 minutes, hints are always one tap away, and your streak ticks up the first time you finish a game on a given day.

A few sample questions

1. 1. In baseball, what is a 'home run'?

   Answer: A hit that allows the batter to circle all bases and score

   A home run is a hit in baseball where the batter successfully circles all four bases and scores a run, typically by hitting the ball over the outfield fence. It is one of the most exciting plays in the sport.

2. 2. In basketball, what does 'slam dunk' mean?

   Answer: A shot where the player jumps and pushes the ball down through the hoop

   A slam dunk is a type of basketball shot in which a player jumps and forcefully pushes the ball downward through the basket with one or both hands. The term is also used metaphorically to mean something that is a sure success.

3. 3. In tennis, what does 'love' mean as a score?

   Answer: Zero points

   In tennis, 'love' means zero or no points. The origin is debated, but one popular theory suggests it comes from the French word 'l'oeuf' (the egg), as a zero resembles an egg. A score of 'love-love' means neither player has scored.

4. 4. What does the term 'hat trick' traditionally refer to?

   Answer: Scoring three goals in a single game

   A hat trick is when a player scores three goals in a single game. The term originated in cricket in the 1850s, when a bowler who took three consecutive wickets was rewarded with a new hat. It is now commonly used in hockey and soccer.

5. 5. In golf, what is a 'birdie'?

   Answer: A score of one under par on a hole

   A birdie in golf is a score of one stroke under par on a hole. For example, completing a par-4 hole in 3 strokes is a birdie. The term originated in the early 1900s in American golf slang, where 'bird' meant something excellent.

Things you'll learn along the way

• ✓A southpaw is a left-handed boxer who leads with the right hand and foot forward, using the stronger left hand for power punches. The term is also used in baseball for left-handed pitchers and has expanded to mean any left-handed person in sports.
• ✓Offside is called when an attacking player is nearer to the opponent's goal line than both the ball and the second-to-last defender at the moment the ball is played to them. This rule prevents attackers from simply waiting near the opponent's goal.
• ✓A medley in swimming is an event that combines all four competitive strokes: butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle. In an individual medley, one swimmer uses all four strokes. In a medley relay, four different swimmers each swim one stroke.