a game played with rackets by two or four players who hit a ball back and forth over a net that divides the court
"After hours of practice, Sarah finally felt confident enough to join her friends for an intense game of tennis at the local club."
A sport played by two players (or four in doubles), who alternately strike the ball over a net using racquets.
"After hours of practice, she finally mastered the technique required to hit the tennis ball cleanly over the high net during their match."
In plain English: Tennis is a sport where two or four players hit a ball back and forth over a net using rackets.
"We spent the afternoon playing tennis in the park."
Usage: Tennis is often confused with badminton or squash, but it specifically involves striking a hollow rubber ball over a net with strung racquets rather than hitting a shuttlecock or wall-bouncing against walls. While "tennis" can refer to the sport itself in general conversation, use the specific term only when describing matches played on courts according to these standard rules.
To play tennis.
"She decided to go out and hit a few balls of tennis after work."
In plain English: To tennis means to play the sport of hitting a ball back and forth over a net with rackets.
"He decided to tennis with his friend after work."
The word tennis comes from the Old French phrase tenez, which is the command "hold!" used to signal that a ball was ready to be struck. This term entered English via Middle English, evolving from that original instruction into the name for the sport.