Definition

A type of baseball pitch that is thrown with little spin, causing it to move unpredictably as it approaches the batter.

Example

The pitcher surprised everyone with a perfect knuckleball that danced through the air.

Conversation

Did you see that last game?

Yeah! That pitcher threw a crazy knuckleball that everyone was talking about.

I know, right? It completely baffled the batters.

Exactly! It’s such an unpredictable pitch.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Knuckleball → The word is formed from "knuckle" (from Old English *cnucol*, meaning a joint of the finger) and "ball" (from Old French *bal*, meaning a spherical object). A knuckleball is a type of pitch in baseball that is thrown with a grip on the knuckles, causing it to have an unpredictable trajectory.

Memory Tip

Think of the 'knuckle' as the joint of your finger that grips the ball, which makes the pitch unpredictable — that's why a knuckleball behaves so erratically.

Visually Confused Words