sphairistike

Ancient Greek [Term?]

sphairistike (uncountable)

1. (sports, archaic) An early racquet sport that evolved into tennis.
   • 1875 The Edinburgh review: or critical journal, A. Constable, p72

     The new appliances of the game sold under the rather too learned name of ‘sphairistikè’ have been lightened without, like their ancient representatives, being increased in size.

   • 1941 Sir Arnold Henry Moore Lunn, Come what may: an autobiography, Little, Brown and company, p7

     He observed that a wholesaler who supplied my grandfather with goods continued to advertise the implements of a new game, called "Sphairistike."

   • 1998 Heiner Gillmeister, Tennis: a cultural history, Continuum International Publishing Group, p181

     At that time, he had not given a thought to his new game, and, as a consequence, the pastures around Rhysnant Hall are not likely to have been the place where the Major would have pitched his sphairistikè nets.

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