golf
UK /ɡɒlf/ · US /ɡɑlf/ noun, verb
Forms golfs golfing golfed
- noun (sports) 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.
- verb (intransitive) To play the game of golf.
- verb (computing) To write something in as few characters as possible (e.g. in code golf, regex golf)
Synonyms
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.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A game played with a small ball and a bat or club crooked at the lower end. He who drives the ball into each of a series of small holes in the ground and brings it into the last hole with the fewest strokes is the winner. [Scot.] Strutt.
Etymology [D. kolf club or bat, also a Dutch game played in an inclosed area with clubs and balls; akin to G. kolben club, but end, Icel. k tongue of a bell. bolt, Sw. kolf bolt, dart, but end, Dan. kolv bolt, arrow. Cf. Club, Globe.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “golf”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details