/ ˈkrɪkɪt; NAmE / noun
1.
[ U ] a game played on grass by two teams of 11 players. Players score points (called runs ) by hitting the ball with a wooden bat and running between two sets of vertical wooden sticks, called stumps :
a cricket match / team / club / ball
2.
[ C ] a small brown jumping insect that makes a loud high sound by rubbing its wings together :
the chirping of crickets
•
IDIOMS
- not cricket
For more information see the Cultural Guide
••
WORD ORIGIN
sense 1 late 16th cent.: of unknown origin.
sense 2 Middle English : from Old French criquet , from criquer to crackle, of imitative origin.