Meanings
- archaicuncountablehobbiesAn early racquet sport that evolved into tennis.
He observed that a wholesaler who supplied my grandfather with goods continued to advertise the implements of a new game, called "Sphairistike."
1941, Sir Arnold Henry Moore Lunn, Come what may: an autobiography, Little, Brown and company, page 72 more examples
The new appliances of the game sold under the rather too learned name of ‘sphairistikè’ have been lightened without, like their ancient representatives, being increased in size.
1875, The Edinburgh review: or critical journal, A. Constable, page 72At that time, he had not given a thought to his new game, and, as a consequence, the pastures around Rhysnant Hall are not likely to have been the place where the Major would have pitched his sphairistikè nets.
1998, Heiner Gillmeister, Tennis: a cultural history, Continuum International Publishing Group, page 181Synonyms: stické
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAn early racquet sport that evolved into tennis.
Origin
Ancient Greek sphairistike, "skill in playing at ball".
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
sphairistike. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sphairistike
“sphairistike.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sphairistike. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sphairistike,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sphairistike.
Source: sphairistike on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.