at-bat
UK[ət ˈbæt]US[ət ˈbæt]
n
A turn at batting for a baseball player, officially charged unless the batter walks, is hit by a pitch, makes a sacrifice, or is interfered with by the catcher.
n
An official statistic recording such a turn.
Morpheme Breakdown
at
bat
at
bat
club, cudgel
Etymology
The term "at-bat" is a modern compound noun originating from the sport of baseball. It is formed from the common English preposition "at," denoting the condition or position of being engaged in an activity, and "bat," which derives from Old English for a striking club. The compound literally describes the state of being "at the bat," meaning in the position of taking one's turn to hit. This literal sense evolved into a specific statistical term in baseball jargon, formally defining a player's offensive opportunity that counts toward their batting average, distinguishing it from other plate appearances that do not.
Analysis
Structure: at + bat
- at: (Preposition, Old English) A preposition indicating location, point, or direction. In this compound, it signifies the state or position of being engaged in the action.
- bat: (Noun, Old English batt, meaning 'club, cudgel') Refers to the implement used to strike the ball in baseball and, by extension, the act of batting.
Examples
The rookie stepped up to the plate for his first major league at-bat.
A walk does not count as an official at-bat in baseball statistics.
He finished the game with three hits in four at-bats.