cricket: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
MediumThe insect sense is neutral; the sport sense varies from informal to formal depending on context; the idiom 'not cricket' is informal/dated.
Quick answer
What does “cricket” mean?
A bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field with a central pitch, central to the sporting culture of many Commonwealth nations.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field with a central pitch, central to the sporting culture of many Commonwealth nations.
A small, leaping insect known for its characteristic chirping sound; also, the expression 'It's not cricket' refers to unfair or unsportsmanlike behaviour.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'cricket' overwhelmingly refers to the sport; the insect is less culturally prominent. In the US, 'cricket' almost exclusively refers to the insect; the sport is largely unknown.
Connotations
In the UK, the sport connotes tradition, summer, and fair play. In the US, the insect connotes rural sounds, summer nights, or fishing bait.
Frequency
In UK media/frequency lists, 'cricket' (sport) is very high. In US lists, 'cricket' (insect) is medium frequency; the sport sense is rare.
Grammar
How to Use “cricket” in a Sentence
play + cricketwatch + cricketfollow + cricketchirp like + a cricketVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cricket” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He used to cricket for his county.
American English
- (Rare; as a verb meaning 'to play cricket')
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverbial form)
American English
- (No standard adverbial form)
adjective
British English
- The cricket match was rained off.
- He has a cricket-obsessed uncle.
American English
- A cricket chirp kept me awake.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare; occasionally used metaphorically: 'We believe in playing cricket with our competitors.'
Academic
In biology/entomology papers for the insect; in sports science or post-colonial cultural studies for the sport.
Everyday
Very common in UK/Commonwealth: 'What's the cricket score?' In the US: 'I can hear a cricket chirping.'
Technical
Specific terminology in sport (LBW, googly, crease) and in entomology (stridulation, Gryllidae).
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cricket”
- Using 'cricket' to refer to the insect in a UK context where the sport is implied (and vice versa in US).
- Misusing the idiom 'It's not cricket' in non-ethical contexts.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, they are false friends from different roots. The insect comes from Old French 'criquet', from the sound. The sport's origin is debated but may come from Old French 'criquet' (a stick) or Flemish 'krick'(e) (a stick).
The sport of cricket has a long-standing, strong cultural association with fair play, sportsmanship, and adhering to unwritten rules (the 'spirit of cricket'). The idiom draws on this tradition.
No, it is a very minor sport in the US, with niche participation primarily among immigrant communities from cricket-playing nations. The term almost always refers to the insect.
Rarely. In contexts where the sport is well-known, it can be used informally as a verb meaning 'to play cricket' (e.g., 'He crickets for the local club'), but this is not standard formal usage.
A bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field with a central pitch, central to the sporting culture of many Commonwealth nations.
Cricket is usually the insect sense is neutral; the sport sense varies from informal to formal depending on context; the idiom 'not cricket' is informal/dated. in register.
Cricket: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkrɪk.ɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkrɪk.ɪt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It's not cricket”
- “As lively/merry as a cricket”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'The CRICKET made a CRICK-et sound as it jumped near the cricket stumps.' Links the sound of the insect to the name of the sport.
Conceptual Metaphor
SPORT IS WAR ('bowling attack', 'batting collapse'), FAIR PLAY IS CRICKET ('It's not cricket'), SOUND SOURCE IS ANIMAL ('The radiator is chirping like a cricket').
Practice
Quiz
In which context would an American English speaker most naturally use the word 'cricket'?