basket

noun

bas·​ket ˈba-skit 

 British also  ˈbä-

1

a

: a receptacle made of interwoven material (such as osiers)

b

: any of various lightweight usually wood containers

c

: the quantity contained in a basket

2

: something that resembles a basket especially in shape or use

3

a

: a net open at the bottom and suspended from a metal ring that constitutes the goal in basketball

b

: a field goal in basketball

4

a

: an aggregate of values (as of selected currencies) the average of which serves as a monetary standard

b

: a selection of financial instruments (such as equities, futures, or options) the values of which reflect market fluctuations

5

: a ring around the lower end of a ski pole that keeps the pole from sinking too deep in snow

basketlike

ˈba-skit-ˌlīk 

adjective

Examples of basket in a Sentence

They brought their lunch in a picnic basket.

His shot missed the basket completely.

Recent Examples on the Web

The injury happened as the guard drove to the basket and seemed to lose his footing after being knocked off balance. —Ben Church, CNN, 4 Mar. 2025

Irving injured his left knee on a drive to the basket during the first quarter. —Adam Zagoria, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025

The run of victories extended to four after the Kings took care of the shorthanded Mavericks, whose season took another disastrous turn when Kyrie Irving’s left leg landed awkwardly on a drive to the basket late in the first quarter. —Chris Biderman, Sacramento Bee, 4 Mar. 2025

The Dougherty Valley star grabbed the ball near midcourt, got away from a pressing defender and had a clear path to the basket, with one exception. —Darren Sabedra, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French; akin to Old French baschoue wooden vessel; both from Latin bascauda kind of basin, of Celtic origin; akin to Middle Irish basc necklace — more at fascia

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing basket

• basket case
• basket catch
• basket hilt
• basket-of-gold
• basket star
• basket weave
• Easter basket
• made/scored a basket
• market basket
• pollen basket
• put all one's eggs in one basket
• Venus's flower-basket

Rhymes for basket

• casket
• gasket
• mascot
• wastebasket

Kids Definition

basket

noun

bas·​ket ˈbas-kət 

1

a

: a container made by weaving together materials (as reeds, straw, or strips of wood)

b

: the contents of a basket

2

: something that resembles a basket

3

a

: a net open at the bottom and hung from a metal ring that is the goal in basketball

b

: a score made in basketball by tossing the ball through the basket

basketlike

-ˌlīk 

adjective