English Explanatory Dictionary

golf

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. 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.
  2. Alternative letter-case form of Golf from the NATO/ICAO Phonetic Alphabet.
verb
  1. To play the game of golf.
  2. To write something in as few characters as possible (e.g. in code golf, regex golf)

Pronunciation

/ɡɒlf/ /ɡɒf/ /ɡɑlf/ /ɡɔlf/ en-us-golf.ogg /ɡolf/

Word forms

golf golfs golfing golfed

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.

Derived words

African golf antigolf army golf barnyard golf clock golf code golf crazy golf dart golf disc golf flying disc golf folf footgolf frisbee golf frolf golfaholic golf bag golf ball golf buggy golf caddie golf caddy golf car golf cart golf clap golf club golf-club golf course golf croquet golfdom golfese golf hole golfiana golfless golflike golf pencil golf pro golf shirt golf shoe golfspeak golf towel golf umbrella golfwear golf widow golfwise hickory golf midget golf miniature golf nongolf peewee golf pub golf regex golf snow golf Tom Thumb golf word golf
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