cricket

1
[ krik-it ]
See synonyms for cricket on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. any of several jumping, orthopterous insects of the family Gryllidae, characterized by long antennae and stridulating organs on the forewings of the male, as one of the species commonly found in pastures and meadows (field cricket ) or on trees and shrubs (tree cricket ).

  2. a small metal toy with a flat metal spring that snaps back and forth with a clicking, cricketlike noise when pressed.

Origin of cricket

1
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English criket, creket, from Old French criquet, equivalent to criqu(er) “to creak” (imitative) + -et noun suffix; see -et

Other words from cricket

  • crick·et·like, adjective

Other definitions for cricket (2 of 4)

cricket2
[ krik-it ]

noun
  1. a game, popular especially in England, for two teams of 11 members each that is played on a field having two wickets 22 yards (20 meters) apart, the object being to score runs by batting the ball far enough so that one is enabled to exchange wickets with the batsman defending the opposite wicket before the ball is recovered.

  2. fair play; honorable conduct: It wouldn't be cricket to look at his cards.

verb (used without object)
  1. to play cricket.

Origin of cricket

2
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Middle French criquet “goalpost”; further origin uncertain; perhaps from Middle Dutch krick(e) “arm, crosspiece, stick, staff, gallows”

Other words from cricket

  • crick·et·er, noun

Other definitions for cricket (3 of 4)

cricket3
[ krik-it ]

noun
  1. a small, low stool.

Origin of cricket

3
First recorded in 1635–45; of obscure origin; compare cracket, with same sense

Other definitions for cricket (4 of 4)

cricket4
[ krik-it ]

noun
  1. (on a sloping roof) a small roof for diverting rainwater around an obstruction, as a chimney.

Origin of cricket

4
Of uncertain origin

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use cricket in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for cricket (1 of 3)

cricket1

/ (ˈkrɪkɪt) /


noun
  1. any insect of the orthopterous family Gryllidae, having long antennae and, in the males, the ability to produce a chirping sound (stridulation) by rubbing together the leathery forewings

  2. any of various related insects, such as the mole cricket

Origin of cricket

1
C14: from Old French criquet, from criquer to creak, of imitative origin

British Dictionary definitions for cricket (2 of 3)

cricket2

/ (ˈkrɪkɪt) /


noun
    • a game played by two teams of eleven players on a field with a wicket at either end of a 22-yard pitch, the object being for one side to score runs by hitting a hard leather-covered ball with a bat while the other side tries to dismiss them by bowling, catching, running them out, etc

    • (as modifier): a cricket bat

  1. not cricket informal not fair play

verb(intr)
  1. to play cricket

Origin of cricket

2
C16: from Old French criquet goalpost, wicket, of uncertain origin

Derived forms of cricket

  • cricketer, noun

British Dictionary definitions for cricket (3 of 3)

cricket3

/ (ˈkrɪkɪt) /


noun
  1. a small low stool

Origin of cricket

3
C17: of unknown origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with cricket

cricket

see not cricket.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.