n.
Court or lawn game played with light long-handled rackets and a shuttlecock volleyed over a net.
The game is named after the residence of Britain's duke of Beaufort, where it supposedly originated 0441; 1873. Officially sanctioned badminton matches are played indoors to protect the shuttlecock from winds. Play consists entirely of hitting the shuttlecock back and forth without letting it touch the floor or ground. The best-known match is the All-England Championships. Badminton became a full-medal sport at the 1992 Olympics. The world governing body is the International Federation of Badminton in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, Eng.