mixed doubles: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Neutral, Sports Technical
Quick answer
What does “mixed doubles” mean?
A form of tennis or badminton match where a team consists of one male and one female player competing against another such team.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A form of tennis or badminton match where a team consists of one male and one female player competing against another such team.
Applied to other racquet sports like table tennis or (rarely) to analogous team formations in other competitive contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Identical in meaning and usage. No notable regional variation in the term itself.
Connotations
Purely sporting, with no additional societal connotations.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties in sporting contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “mixed doubles” in a Sentence
play mixed doubles (with someone)compete in (the) mixed doublesenter the mixed doubles (event)win a medal in mixed doublesVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “mixed doubles” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The mixed doubles draw is out.
- She's a mixed doubles specialist.
American English
- The mixed doubles schedule is posted.
- He has a mixed doubles championship title.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Everyday
Used in general conversation about sports, especially during major tournaments like Wimbledon.
Technical
Standard term in sports regulations, tournament draws, and commentary for tennis, badminton, etc.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “mixed doubles”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “mixed doubles”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “mixed doubles”
- Using as a verb: 'We mixed doubles yesterday.' (Incorrect) vs. 'We played mixed doubles yesterday.' (Correct)
- Treating it as an adjective: 'a mixed-doubles competition' (hyphenated form is less common, the open form is standard).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, primarily for racquet sports like badminton, table tennis, and squash. It is not typically used for team sports like football or basketball.
No, it is a strictly defined sporting term. In social contexts, you might say 'we went out as two couples' or 'a double date'.
The direct opposites are 'men's doubles' and 'women's doubles'. 'Singles' is also an opposite in the sense of a different match format.
It is most commonly written as an open compound: 'mixed doubles'. Hyphenated use ('mixed-doubles') is seen occasionally but is less standard.
A form of tennis or badminton match where a team consists of one male and one female player competing against another such team.
Mixed doubles is usually neutral, sports technical in register.
Mixed doubles: in British English it is pronounced /ˌmɪkst ˈdʌb(ə)lz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌmɪkst ˈdʌbəlz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a MIX of genders forming a DOUBLES team: MIXED + DOUBLES.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMPETITION IS PAIRING (a specific, regulated pairing of complementary types).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'mixed doubles' most accurately used?