volley
VOL-ee
/ˈvɒli/
A shot hit before the ball or shuttlecock touches the ground.
Volleying is an aggressive tactic used to take time away from the opponent by intercepting the ball early.
The story behind the word. Derived from the French 'volée,' which means flight. It comes from the Latin 'volare,' meaning to fly, perfectly describing a ball hit while it is still in the air.
Word relationships
- intercept: 'Intercept' is the action of catching or stopping, while 'volley' is the specific act of hitting the ball back.
- groundstroke: A groundstroke is hit after the ball has bounced once.
Commonly confused with
- smash: A smash is usually hit overhead with great power, while a volley can be hit at any height and often requires more touch.
Word family
- volleyer (noun): A player who frequently hits volleys.
Collocations
- half-volley
- drive volley
- stop volley
- volley winner
Idioms & expressions
- a volley of questions
Example sentences
- "He was a master of the serve and volley game, constantly charging the net." Coaching advice
- "She reached out for a spectacular backhand volley to win the championship point." Match commentary
Memory hook
'Volley' sounds like 'valley'—imagine the ball flying over the valley of the net. Hit it on the fly.
When not to use
In sports like squash, you can volley, but the term is most iconic in tennis and volleyball.
Fun facts
- The term 'volleyball' was actually derived from tennis volleys; the game was originally called 'Mintonette.'
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