Backhand – Hitting a shuttle whilst the back of your hand is facing the shuttle. For example, a right-handed hit where the shuttle is on the left side of the body.
Backcourt – The back section of a badminton court. It is the furthest part of the court away from the net on either side of the court.
Baseline – The line at the very back of the court on both sides of the net.
Boundaries – A defined space where a badminton rally or game is played. The size can be changed depending on the area or numbers playing.
Court – The standardised area where a game of badminton is played. It is split into two equal sides, divided by a net in the middle.
Cross-court – A shot hit diagonally across the court, over the net.
Doubles – A game played 2 v 2
Drop shot – An attacking shot that is hit softly to land just after clearing the net in the forecourt.
Fault – When a player infringes any of the rules of badminton.
Forecourt – The part of the court closest to the net on either side. It is usually considered between the net and the service line.
Forehand – Hitting a shuttle whilst the palm of your hand is facing the shuttle. So, for example, a right-handed hit where the shuttle is on the right side of the body.
Let – The call an umpire makes when a point needs to be restarted. This could be because a server serves before their opponent is ready, a shuttle breaks or an outside distraction interrupts play.
Lunging – A quick movement to hit a shuttle that involves taking a wide step towards the shuttle and bending the knees to get low to hit a shuttle close to the ground.
A badminton glossary can help teachers gain a solid foundation for the terminology and keywords they may encounter when teaching the unit.
Mid-Court – The middle part of the court on either side of the net.
Net Play – Playing a shot when in the forecourt.
Net – The dividing material between the two halves of the court
Out of bounds – Any area where a shuttle lands that would not win a point. Often, this would be outside the court markings.
Overhead clear – A defensive shot played above the head, hit high and to the backcourt of the opponent's side to give time for a player to recover their position.
Racquet – The equipment used in badminton to hit the shuttle
Rally – Hitting of shots between two or more players, where players take turns to hit the shuttle.
Self-feed – The throwing or dropping of a shuttle to be hit and commonly used for a serve.
Serve – The shot played to start a rally or a point. It must be an underarm hit that travels diagonally cross-court.
Shuttlecock - The object hit in a game of badminton. It is a cone shape, with one end being made of rubber. Feather-like ‘tails’ make it travel slower in the air.
Singles – When a game is played 1 v 1
Smash shot – An attacking shot that is hit downwards quickly with speed. It is a difficult shot to return and is often used to win a point.
Umpire – The name of the official of the match. They enforce the rules and make calls on any infractions that may take place during a game.