48 badminton terms defined, including clear, smash, drop shot, hairpin net shot and the shuttle, each explained in one short line.
What follows is badminton terminology as it is actually spoken on court: the words related to badminton that an umpire calls out, the words associated with the racket, the shuttle and the lines, and the badminton slang that only makes sense once you have watched a rally end in one shot. If you are building badminton vocabulary from scratch, the badminton glossary further down puts every term in one place.
Must-Know Badminton Terms, Phrases and Slang:
- Alley
- Backhand
- Birdie (Shuttlecock)
- Clear
- Drive
- Drop shot
- Fault
- Feint
- Flick
- Forehand
- Game point
- Let
- Match point
- Net shot
- Overhead
- Rally
- Serve
- Smash
- Stroke
- Tumbling shuttle
- Service court
- Double hit
- Crosscourt
- Hairpin net shot
- Kill
- Long serve
- Short serve
- Sides
- Thumbing grip
- Wood shot
Badminton Glossary: Every Term A to Z
| Term | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Alley | The strip between the singles and doubles sidelines. It counts as in only during doubles. |
| Backcourt | The rear third of the court, where clears and smashes are played from. |
| Backhand | A stroke played with the back of the hand leading the racket, used for shuttles on the non-racket side. |
| Baseline | The back boundary line of the court and the target a clear aims for. |
| Birdie (Shuttlecock) | The feathered or synthetic projectile players hit over the net. Birdie is the everyday American name for it. |
| Block | A short defensive answer to a smash that drops the shuttle just over the net. |
| Clear | A shot hit high and deep to the opponent's back boundary line, defensively to buy time or offensively to push them back. |
| Crosscourt | A shot hit diagonally from one corner of the court to the other, used to stretch the opponent. |
| Double hit | Hitting the shuttle twice in succession, or once by each partner. It is a fault. |
| Drive | A fast, flat shot that travels just over the net and cuts the opponent's reaction time. |
| Drop shot | A soft shot that barely clears the net and falls steeply into the front of the opposing court. |
| Fault | Any breach of the laws of the game that hands the rally to the opponent. |
| Feint | A deceptive motion that suggests one shot and delivers another. |
| Flick | A quick wrist shot that lifts the shuttle over the opponent's head, often from a serve or from defense. |
| Forecourt | The area close to the net where net shots and kills are played. |
| Forehand | A stroke played with the palm leading the racket. The most versatile shot in the game. |
| Game point | The point that would win the current game for whoever is leading. |
| Grip | How the racket is held. Forehand, backhand and thumb grips differ mainly in where the thumb sits on the handle. |
| Hairpin net shot | A tight shot from the net that rises just over the tape and drops straight down, tracing the shape of a hairpin. |
| Interval | The short break taken when the leading side reaches 11 points in a game. |
| Kill | A sharp downward shot from close to the net that ends the rally on the spot. |
| Let | A stoppage that replays the rally, for example when the shuttle lodges in the net or the receiver was not ready. |
| Lift | An underarm shot from the forecourt that sends the shuttle high into the opponent's backcourt. |
| Long serve | A serve driven deep to the back of the receiver's service court to push them off the net. |
| Love | Zero. A game starts with the umpire's call of love all, play. |
| Match point | The point that would win the whole match, not just the game. |
| Net | The barrier across the middle of the court, standing a little over five feet high at the posts. |
| Net shot | A shot played tightly over the net so the shuttle drops close to it on the other side. |
| Overhead | Any stroke played above head height. Clears, smashes and drops are all overheads. |
| Push shot | A firm, flat shot guided into the midcourt with almost no backswing. |
| Racket | The stringed frame used to hit the shuttle, light enough to be swung from the wrist alone. |
| Rally | The exchange that starts with the serve and runs until the shuttle lands or a fault is called. |
| Rally scoring | The modern system in which every rally scores a point for whoever wins it, regardless of who served. Games are played to 21. |
| Retired | A player who cannot continue because of injury or illness retires, and the match goes to the opponent. |
| Round the head shot | A forehand overhead played over the non-racket shoulder, used to attack shuttles on the backhand side. |
| Serve | The shot that starts each rally, hit diagonally into the opposite service court. |
| Service court | The marked box a serve must land in. Narrow and long in singles, wide and short in doubles. |
| Setting | Under current rules a game tied at 20-20 runs on until one side leads by two, and at 29-29 the next point wins. Older rules called this extension setting. |
| Short serve | A serve that just clears the net and lands at the front of the service court. The standard opening in doubles. |
| Shuttle | The short form of shuttlecock, and the word commentators use most. |
| Sides | The left and right halves of the court that players cover, by turns in singles and by agreement in doubles. |
| Smash | A steep, powerful overhead hit down into the opponent's court. The main finishing shot. |
| Stroke | The technique used to hit the shuttle. Clears, drops, drives and smashes are all strokes. |
| Thumb grip | A grip with the thumb laid flat on the wide side of the handle, used to add control to backhand shots. |
| Tumbling shuttle | A net shot that makes the shuttle turn over as it crosses, so a clean return is hard to time. |
| Umpire | The official in the chair who calls the score, faults and lets. A service judge and line judges assist. |
| Walkover | A win awarded when the opponent does not appear or withdraws before play starts. |
| Wood shot | A shot struck with the frame instead of the strings. Once a fault, it is legal today as long as the shuttle crosses the net and lands in. |
#1 Alley
The ‘alley’ refers to the area of the badminton court that is between the singles and doubles sidelines. This area is only considered in play during doubles matches, adding width to the field of play.
#2 Backhand
A backhand stroke is performed by swinging the racket with the back of the hand leading towards the shuttle. It’s typically used when the shuttle is on the left side for right-handed players, and vice versa for left-handed players.
#3 Birdie (Shuttlecock)
The ‘birdie’ or shuttlecock is the projectile used in badminton, which players hit back and forth across the net. Its unique feathered or synthetic design allows it to fly distinctly through the air.
#4 Clear
A clear is a shot hit deep to the opponent’s back boundary line, usually as a defensive move to allow more time to reposition or offensively to move the opponent away from the net.
#5 Drive
A drive is a fast and flat stroke that flies directly over the net, meant to put pressure on the opponent by reducing their reaction time due to the speed and trajectory of the shuttle.
#6 Drop shot
A drop shot is a delicate and precise stroke that barely clears the net and drops steeply downward into the opponent’s front court, often catching them off guard if they’re positioned further back.
#7 Fault
In badminton, a fault is any action that contravenes the laws of the game and results in a point being awarded to the opponent. Common faults include hitting the shuttlecock out of bounds, failing to clear the net, serving incorrectly, or hitting the shuttle before it crosses over the net.
#8 Feint
A feint in badminton is a deceptive move where a player pretends to make one type of shot but executes another, misleading the opponent about the actual direction or power of the shuttlecock. This tactic is used to create openings and wrong-foot the opponent.
#9 Flick
A surprise badminton shot where the wrist is used to propel the shuttlecock over the opponent’s head. It’s often used during service or defense, creating a fast and deceptive change in play to catch the opponent off guard.
#10 Forehand
One of the most fundamental strokes in badminton, where the shuttlecock is hit with the racket’s front and the palm of the hand leading. The forehand stroke is powerful and versatile, used from any court area.
#11 Game point
A scenario in badminton where a player or team needs one more point to win the current game within a match. Intense and high-pressure, the player serving at game point has a chance to close out the game.
#12 Let
A halt in play which occurs when an unforeseen or accidental situation prevents a rally from continuing. Examples include the shuttlecock getting stuck in the net or a player serving before the opponent is ready.
#13 Match point
Similar to game point, match point is the critical moment when a player or team is just one point away from winning the entire match. Tension runs high as competitors vie to secure the winning point.
#14 Net shot
A strategic badminton stroke where the shuttlecock is played tightly over the net, making it drop sharply and close to the net on the opponent’s side. Executed well, it’s challenging for opponents to return effectively.
#15 Overhead
An overhead shot in badminton is any stroke played above the height of a player’s head, typically with a forehand or backhand motion. These shots can include clears, smashes, and drops, all requiring good timing and technique to execute effectively from this high position.
#16 Rally
A rally in badminton refers to a sequence of back-and-forth plays where the shuttlecock is hit over the net between opponents. A rally starts with a serve and continues until the shuttlecock lands on the floor or a fault is committed. The point is then awarded to the player or team that did not commit the fault.
#17 Serve
In badminton, the serve is the shot that initiates play and must be hit diagonally into the opponent’s service court. There are different serving styles, such as high, low, flick, or drive serves, each with strategic uses.
#18 Smash
A smash is a powerful overhead shot hit steeply downwards into the opponent’s court. It’s one of the most aggressive and attacking moves in badminton, often used to finish off a rally or put the opponent on the defensive.
#19 Stroke
A stroke in badminton refers to the movement and technique used to hit the shuttlecock. There are different types of strokes like clears, drops, drives, and smashes, each with specific tactical applications in a match.
#20 Tumbling shuttle
A tumbling shuttle is a shot that causes the shuttlecock to rotate and tumble over the net, making it difficult for the opponent to execute a clean return due to the shuttle’s erratic movement.
#21 Service court
The service court is the area into which a serve must be delivered. In singles, this court is narrower, while in doubles, it is wider, but shorter. The server must serve diagonally crosscourt to the receiver’s service court.
#22 Double hit
A double hit is an illegal action when the shuttle is hit twice in succession or by two different players on the same side. It is counted as a fault, and the point is awarded to the opponent.
#23 Crosscourt
A crosscourt shot in badminton is one that is hit diagonally from one side of the court to the other. These shots can be used strategically to move the opponent around and create difficult angles for them to return.
#24. Hairpin Net Shot
A delicate and precise shot where the shuttle grazes just over the net and drops sharply, resembling the shape of a hairpin. This shot is often used to counter tight net play and requires deft touch and control.
#25. Kill
A quick and decisive shot that is hit sharply and downward into the opponent’s court, making it nearly impossible to return. The kill is typically executed when the shuttle is close to the net and puts an abrupt end to the rally.
#26. Long Serve
A serve that is struck to the back of the opponent’s service court, intending to push them away from the net. It’s a strategic serve in both singles and doubles play, commonly used to create space and start the rally with an advantage.
#27. Short Serve
Opposite to the long serve, the short serve barely clears the net and drops quickly into the opponent’s front service court. It’s a tactical play to prevent the opponent from executing a powerful return and often used in doubles to initiate close net exchanges.
#28. Sides
Refers to the left and right sections of the court in both singles and doubles play. In singles, players often switch sides to maintain a strategic position, while in doubles, partners have specific sides they cover based on their formation and tactics.
#29. Thumbing Grip
In badminton, the thumbing grip (also known as the thumb grip) is a specific way to hold the racket primarily used for executing backhand shots, especially in situations where power and control are needed from the back of the court.
#30 Wood shot
A wood shot occurs when the shuttlecock is hit with the frame of the racket instead of the stringed area. In traditional badminton rules, this was considered a fault. However, modern rules allow a wood shot as long as the shuttlecock goes over the net to the opponent’s side and lands within the boundaries of the court.
FAQ
What type of shot is used to hit the birdie high and deep to the opponent’s back boundary line?
That shot is a clear. Played defensively it buys time to get back to the middle of the court, and played offensively it drives the opponent away from the net.
What is the thing you hit in badminton called?
The shuttlecock. Players shorten it to shuttle, and in American usage it is usually the birdie. It is not a ball, which is why smash, serve and shuttlecock are badminton terms while puck is not.
A shot when the birdie just clears the net is called what?
A net shot. Played very tight, so the shuttle rises over the tape and drops straight down on the other side, it is called a hairpin net shot. A soft shot played from the back of the court into the same area is a drop shot.
What is it called when the birdie is continually hit back and forth in badminton?
A rally. It begins with the serve and continues until the shuttle touches the floor or a fault is called, and the side that wins the rally scores the point.
What does retired mean in a badminton match?
A player who cannot finish because of injury or illness is recorded as retired, and the win goes to the opponent. If a player never starts the match at all, the result is a walkover.
What is a badminton player called?
Simply a badminton player. Commentators and Asian sports media also use shuttler, which is the closest the sport has to a nickname for its athletes.
They fall into three groups: equipment and court (racket, shuttle, net, alley, service court), shots (serve, clear, drop shot, smash, net shot, drive) and calls (fault, let, love, game point). The badminton glossary above lists all of them together.
What are some Badminton terms for beginners?
“Serve,” “Clear,” and “Smash,” are some Badminton terms beginners should start with. These are essential strokes that form the foundation of Badminton gameplay.
What are some funny Badminton terms?
“Hairpin net shot” and “Wood shot” are some funny Badminton terms that can bring a smile due to their quirky names, adding a playful element to understanding the sport’s dynamics.
What is a famous Badminton phrase?
“Love-all, play,” is a famous Badminton phrase, which signals the start of a match or game, akin to “play ball” in some other sports, indicating that the score is 0-0 and the game is to begin.
