grass hockey: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal, Technical (sports)
Quick answer
What does “grass hockey” mean?
A team sport played on a grass field where players use curved sticks to hit a small, hard ball into the opponent's goal.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A team sport played on a grass field where players use curved sticks to hit a small, hard ball into the opponent's goal.
The traditional form of hockey played on natural grass, as opposed to modern variants played on artificial turf or ice. It often implies a more amateur or recreational level of play compared to professional field hockey.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, 'hockey' typically refers to field hockey. 'Grass hockey' is a clarifying term. In American English, 'hockey' almost exclusively means ice hockey, so 'grass hockey' is used to avoid confusion.
Connotations
UK: May imply a school or club sport. US: Often perceived as an exotic or lesser-known sport compared to ice hockey.
Frequency
More common in British English, but still a low-frequency compound. Rare in American English outside specific sporting contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “grass hockey” in a Sentence
play + grass hockeya game of + grass hockeygrass hockey + is played onVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “grass hockey” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- We used to grass hockey every Wednesday after school.
- The club decided to grass hockey on the lower field this season.
American English
- They grass hockeyed in the park until dusk.
- Our university doesn't grass hockey anymore.
adjective
British English
- She is a talented grass-hockey player.
- The grass-hockey finals are next week.
American English
- He joined a grass-hockey league.
- We need new grass-hockey equipment.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Academic
Used in sports history or physical education papers discussing the evolution of hockey surfaces.
Everyday
Used when explaining or distinguishing the type of hockey being discussed, e.g., 'My son plays grass hockey on Saturdays.'
Technical
Used in sports coaching, facility management, and equipment specifications to denote the playing surface.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “grass hockey”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “grass hockey”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “grass hockey”
- Using 'grass hockey' to refer to field hockey played on artificial turf.
- Capitalising it as a proper noun (Grass Hockey) unless starting a sentence.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a subset. All grass hockey is field hockey, but not all field hockey is played on grass (it can be on artificial turf). 'Grass hockey' specifies the surface.
The development of faster, more consistent artificial turf surfaces led most competitive and professional play to switch, making grass hockey more associated with amateur, school, or recreational play.
Informally, yes (e.g., 'We grass hockeyed all afternoon'), but it is non-standard. The standard phrasing is 'to play grass hockey'.
The stick and ball are the same, but footwear is typically cleats or studs for traction on grass, unlike the specialised shoes used for artificial turf.
A team sport played on a grass field where players use curved sticks to hit a small, hard ball into the opponent's goal.
Grass hockey is usually informal, technical (sports) in register.
Grass hockey: in British English it is pronounced /ɡrɑːs ˈhɒki/, and in American English it is pronounced /ɡræs ˈhɑːki/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Not a patch on grass hockey (informal UK: meaning inferior to the traditional game)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'GRASS' as the green field and 'HOCKEY' as the stick game. Together, they form the original outdoor version.
Conceptual Metaphor
SPORT IS WAR (e.g., 'battle on the grass hockey pitch'), TRADITION IS ROOTED (grass as the natural, original surface).
Practice
Quiz
In which country is the term 'grass hockey' MOST likely needed to avoid confusion?