gridiron

noun

grid·iron ˈgrid-ˌī(-ə)rn

: a grate for broiling food

Put the steaks on the gridiron.

: something consisting of or covered with a network

a gridiron of streets

: a football field

The two teams will face each other on the gridiron.

Did you know?

Are you ready for some football... lingo? Excellent, and if your big game preparations involve firing up a griddle at a tailgate party, even better—American football shares linguistic ties with that form of cookery. One of the oldest senses of gridiron referred not to a football field but to a metal grate used for broiling food over an open fire. In Middle English, such a grating was called a gredil, a root that gave modern English both gridiron and griddle. How did gridiron become associated with football? That happened in the late 1800s, when early football fields were marked in a grid, not by the familiar parallel yard lines we know today. From high up in the stands, the lines made the playing fields look like cooking gridirons. You might remember this the next time your favorite player is hotdogging in the end zone.

Examples of gridiron in a Sentence

The book recounts his many moments of glory on the gridiron.

Recent Examples on the Web

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

The gizmo is changing sports — and one reason why the 23-year-old looks so much beyond his years on the gridiron. —

Cuneyt Dil, Axios, 18 Oct. 2024 Politicians often turn to the gridiron for shorthand. —

Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2024 Much like his time in Prime’s new project, the Philadelphia Eagle offered insights into his journey as a Black leader on the gridiron. —

Marc Griffin, VIBE.com, 27 Sep. 2024 While best known for his work on the gridiron, Sanders was also a fine outfielder who played in the Major League for over a decade. —

Don Yaeger, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for gridiron