Definition

A person, usually a young boy, who retrieves and delivers balls during a sports game, especially in tennis or basketball.

Example

The ballboy quickly ran to fetch the tennis ball that had rolled away.

Conversation

Did you see the ballboy during the tennis match yesterday?

Yeah, he was really quick at getting the balls back to the players!

I know, right? It must be tough to be a ballboy with all that running around.

Definitely! They play a big role in keeping the game flowing.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Ballboy → The word is formed from "ball" (from Old English *beall*, meaning a spherical object used in games) and "boy" (from Old English *bōia*, meaning a young male). A ballboy is a young male who retrieves and delivers balls during a game.

Memory Tip

Think of a young male ('boy') who is responsible for handling the spherical objects ('ball') during a game.

Visually Confused Words