pitch
PICH
/pɪtʃ/
An area of ground marked out or used for playing a game, especially football (soccer), cricket, or rugby.
Primarily used in British English for grass fields. In American English, 'field' is more common for soccer, though 'pitch' is gaining ground.
The story behind the word. From the idea of 'pitching' or 'fixing' the wickets into the ground for a game of cricket. It eventually came to mean the entire area where the game was played.
Word relationships
- field: More common in American English; 'pitch' is more specific to certain sports.
Commonly confused with
- court: Pitches are usually grass/dirt and large; courts are usually hard-surfaced and smaller.
Collocations
- football pitch
- cricket pitch
- synthetic pitch
- pitch invasion
Example sentences
- "The heavy rain left the pitch waterlogged, forcing the referee to postpone the match." Soccer match description.
- "The ball bounced unevenly on the dry cricket pitch, making it difficult for the batsman." Cricket terminology.
Memory hook
You 'pitch' a tent on the grass, and you play on a 'pitch' on the grass. Pitch = Grass field.
When not to use
Don't use for tennis or basketball (use 'court').
Fun facts
- In cricket, the 'pitch' specifically refers to the 22-yard strip in the center, not the whole field.
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- Business → Sales & Customer Service
- Business → Entrepreneurship & Startups
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- Music, Instruments & Performance → Singing & Vocals
- Aviation & Maritime Transport → Piloting & Flight Deck Operations
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