Badminton Terms: A Glossary of 50+ Words Every Player Should Know
Badminton terms explained from A to Z: back alley, clear, drive, flick, let, rally, service court, smash, tramlines and more, with links to full guides.
Badminton has its own vocabulary, and some words mean different things than in other racket sports. This glossary explains the terms you will hear on court, from the rules to the shots and the equipment. Terms in each section are in alphabetical order.
Ten terms beginners hear first
Shuttle / shuttlecock / birdie: the feathered projectile you hit
Rally: the exchange of shots from the serve until the shuttle hits the floor
Clear: a high, deep shot to the back of the court
Smash: a steep, fast attacking shot
Drop: a soft shot that falls just over the net
Let: a rally that is replayed with no change to the score
Fault: a breach of the rules that loses the rally
Service court: the box the serve must land in
Tramlines: the narrow strips at the sides and back of the court
Deuce / 20 all: level at 20 points, play on until a 2-point lead
Court and rules terms
Term
Meaning
Back alley
The strip between the back boundary line and the doubles long service line. Out for a doubles serve, in for everything else.
Back boundary line
The line at each end of the court; the back limit for all rallies and the singles serve.
Baseline
Another name for the back boundary line.
Centre line
The line dividing the left and right service courts.
Doubles long service line
The line 0.76 m inside the back boundary; the back limit for the doubles serve.
Fault
Any breach of the rules that ends the rally, such as hitting out or touching the net. See faults.
Forecourt
The area between the net and the short service line.
Game point / match point
When one side needs one more point to win the game or match.
Interval
The break of up to 60 seconds at 11 points and up to 2 minutes between games.
Let
A stoppage where the rally is replayed and the score does not change.
Rally
The sequence of shots from the serve until the shuttle hits the floor or a fault occurs.
Rally point scoring
The scoring system where every rally wins a point. See scoring.
Rear court
The back third of the court.
Service court
The area the serve must land in: long and narrow in singles, short and wide in doubles.
Short service line
The line 1.98 m from the net that every serve must reach.
Sidelines
The lines along the length of the court: inner for singles, outer for doubles.
Tramlines
The narrow strips at the sides (between the singles and doubles sidelines) and the back.
20 all
The score at 20-20, sometimes called deuce; play continues until a side leads by 2, up to 30.
Ten terms beginners hear first: save or share this summary.
Shots and technique terms
Term
Meaning
Backhand
A shot played on the non-racket side of the body.
Block
A soft return of a smash, usually short to the net.
Clear
A high, deep shot to the opponent’s back court; attacking clears are flatter. See shots.
Cross-court
A shot hit diagonally across the court.
Drive
A fast, flat shot at about net height.
Drop shot
A soft overhead shot that falls just over the net. See drop shot.
Flick
A wrist and finger action that turns an apparently soft shot into a fast, high one; the flick serve is the classic example.
Forehand
A shot played on the racket side of the body.
Half smash
A smash at medium pace, steep and controlled.
Hairpin
A net shot that rises just over the tape and drops vertically, tracing a hairpin shape.
Kill
A shot hit sharply downwards that cannot be returned, usually at the net.
Lift
An underarm shot from the forecourt high to the back of the court.
Lunge
The long step to the front of the court with the racket leg leading.
Net shot
A gentle shot from near the net that tumbles just over it.
Push
A flat shot from the forecourt to the opponent’s mid-court.
Arthur is the editor of Dear Badminton. He writes and fact-checks every guide on the site, checking rules content against the BWF Laws of Badminton and gear advice against official manufacturer specifications.
