Hockey

Podcast 1 · Introduction

Hockey

A documentary-style narration: origin, meaning, and feel.

Part of speech

noun

Pronunciation

HOK-ee  /ˈhɒki/

Definition

A team sport played with sticks curved at the lower end, with which players attempt to hit a small hard ball (in field hockey) or a hard rubber disc called a puck (in ice hockey) into the opposing team's goal. Field hockey is played on grass or synthetic turf; ice hockey is played on an ice rink. In British English, hockey without qualification typically refers to field hockey.

Plain meaning

Hockey is a team sport played with curved sticks and a ball (field hockey) or a hard disc called a puck (ice hockey). In Britain, hockey usually means field hockey — the game played on grass or artificial turf. In North America, hockey typically means ice hockey.

Register

Neutral. Hockey is standard vocabulary in sports contexts. The British-American default difference (field vs. ice) is one of the most frequently encountered sports vocabulary contrasts between the two varieties of English.