Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
Topics: hobbies, lifestyle, sports
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Alternative letter-case form of Golf from the NATO/ICAO Phonetic Alphabet.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: alt-of, uncountable
Qualifier: international standards
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To play the game of golf.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To write something in as few characters as possible (e.g. in code golf, regex golf)
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
a game played on a large open course with 9 or 18 holes; the object is use as few strokes as possible in playing all the holes
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: golf game
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: outdoor game
Narrower terms: professional golf, round of golf, round, medal play, stroke play, match play, miniature golf, clock golf
verb
play golf
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: play
History
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.
Across languages
114 source translations are retained for this English entry.
