golf
/ɡɑlf/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: 4.56 in modern English
8
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
1
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A ball game played by individuals competing against one another in which the object is to hit a ball into each of a series of (usually 18 or nine) holes in the minimum number of strokes.
Uncountable
verb
To write something in as few characters as possible (e.g. in code golf, regex golf)
Example Sentences
- "In January, China’s state planner said it had ordered the closure of more than 100 golf courses in a multi-year campaign launched in 2011 to tackle illegal development in the sector. Golf has also been added to a list of Communist Party disciplinary violations, and is often cited in cases of graft."
- "Last mystery of all, he learned to golf."
Etymology
The word is first known in English from the 17th century as a borrowing from Middle Scots golf, gouff. Although the etymology is uncertain, the most likely origin is that it comes from the Middle Dutch colve, colf (“club”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *kulbaz (“club”), related to German Kolben (“piston, rod”), Swedish kolv (“piston, rod”), Old English clopp (“rock; cliff”), English kelp.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: golf, colve, *kulbaz
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ɡɑlf/
- British English: /ɡɒlf/