volleyball
B1Neutral, used in formal, informal, and technical contexts depending on usage.
Definition
Meaning
A team sport played on a rectangular court divided by a high net, in which two teams of six players use their hands to hit a ball back and forth over the net without letting it touch the ground on their side.
The large, inflated ball used in the sport of volleyball. By metaphorical extension, can refer to any situation involving rapid, reciprocal exchanges or passing of responsibility, e.g., 'playing volleyball with the blame'.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a concrete noun referring to the sport or its equipment. Its metaphorical use is established but less frequent. It is a compound noun (volley + ball) where 'volley' refers to a simultaneous discharge or a return of the ball before it hits the ground.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage of the word itself. The organisation names differ: 'Volleyball England' (UK) vs. 'USA Volleyball' (US).
Connotations
Similar connotations in both varieties: a popular recreational, school, and competitive sport, often associated with beaches (beach volleyball).
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties. Beach volleyball is a globally recognized variant.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
play + volleyballa game/set/match of + volleyballto + volleyball (as a verb, rare)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “play volleyball with (something)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Metaphorical: 'The departments were just playing volleyball with the customer's complaint, no one took ownership.'
Academic
Used in sports science, kinesiology, and physical education research.
Everyday
Most common: discussing sports, leisure activities, school P.E., or weekend plans.
Technical
Precise terminology in sports coaching, including specific moves: 'spike', 'dig', 'set', 'serve', 'rotation'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- (Very rare, non-standard) They decided to volleyball at the park instead of football.
- (Metaphorical) The committee seemed to volleyball the difficult decision to the next meeting.
American English
- (Very rare, non-standard) We're just going to volleyball at the beach all afternoon.
- (Metaphorical) Don't just volleyball this problem around the office; solve it.
adverb
British English
- (Not used)
American English
- (Not used)
adjective
British English
- She is a volleyball enthusiast.
- The school's volleyball kit is navy blue.
American English
- He made the volleyball varsity team.
- We need new volleyball knee pads.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I play volleyball with my friends on Saturdays.
- Our school has a volleyball.
- Do you like volleyball?
- We watched an exciting volleyball match at the sports centre.
- Beach volleyball is very popular in the summer.
- She joined the local volleyball team last year.
- The volleyball tournament was won by a team from Brazil.
- He injured his shoulder while executing a powerful spike during volleyball practice.
- The rules of volleyball state that a player cannot hit the ball twice in succession.
- The constant volleyball of accusations between the two political factions did nothing to address the policy issue.
- Her doctoral thesis analysed the biomechanics of the jump serve in elite-level volleyball.
- The charity event featured a celebrity volleyball game on the beach.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a VOLLEY of gunfire or questions – many things sent at once. In VOLLEYball, players send the ball back and forth in rapid succession.
Conceptual Metaphor
PROBLEMS/RESPONSIBILITIES ARE OBJECTS IN A GAME ('They just volleyed the issue back and forth').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating as 'волейбол' in contexts where it's the ball itself; specify 'мяч для волейбола' if needed. The sport name is a direct loanword.
- The metaphorical use ('play volleyball with') does not have a standard equivalent idiom in Russian.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'vollyball' or 'voleball'.
- Using as a verb incorrectly (e.g., 'We volleyballed yesterday'). The standard verb phrase is 'play volleyball'.
- Confusing with 'valleyball'.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the most common and natural way to use the word 'volleyball'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Standard dictionaries list it only as a noun. Using it as a verb (e.g., 'to volleyball') is non-standard and rare. The correct phrasing is 'to play volleyball'.
Volleyball is typically played indoors on a hard court by teams of six. Beach volleyball is played outdoors on sand by teams of two (or sometimes more recreationally). The rules have minor differences, such as court size and scoring.
In British English, it's /ˈvɒlibɔːl/ (VOL-ee-bawl). In American English, it's /ˈvɑːlibɔːl/ (VAH-lee-bawl). The main difference is the first vowel sound.
Yes, it can. For example, 'The volleyball is deflated' refers to the object. Context usually makes it clear if you mean the sport or the equipment.