cricket

UK: ˈkrɪk.ɪt | US: ˈkrɪk.ɪt

Definition

  1. n. 1. A team sport played with a bat and ball, popular in Commonwealth countries.

  2. n. 2. A small, jumping insect of the family Gryllidae, known for its chirping sound.

Structure
cricket <insect>cricket <sport>
Etymology
  1. cricket<insect> (from Old French criquet, meaning "little creaker," imitative of the insect's chirp)
  2. cricket<sport> (origin uncertain; possibly from Old French criquet (goal post) or Middle Dutch krick(stick))

Etymology Origin:
The word "cricket" has two distinct origins. For the insect, it derives from Old French criquet, mimicking its chirping sound. The sport's name is debated but may relate to early equipment (e.g., sticks or goal posts) or the Dutch krick. The dual meanings evolved independently, linked only by phonetic coincidence.

Examples

  1. The sound of crickets filled the summer night.

  2. He plays cricket professionally for the national team.

  3. Children chased crickets in the grassy field.

  4. Cricket matches can last up to five days in the traditional format.

  5. She studies the behavior of field crickets in her biology research.