sphairistike

Ancient Greek sphairistike, "skill in playing at ball".

sphairistike (uncountable)

1. (sports, archaic) An early racquet sport that evolved into tennis.
   • 1875, The Edinburgh review: or critical journal, A. Constable, page 72:

     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, page 7:

     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, page 181:

     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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