Pickleball Glossary—Terms and lingo
Pickleball Terms & Lingo: Your Ultimate Guide to the Game’s Jargon
New to pickleball or just need a refresher on the game’s lingo?
Here’s your go-to guide for all the essential pickleball terms you’ll hear on the courts!
From dinks and drops to kitchen violations and ATPs, understanding the language of pickleball will help you play smarter, communicate better, and enjoy the game even more.
Below, you’ll find a comprehensive list of common pickleball terms, plus key strategies to help you level up your game.
📖 Bookmark this page and become fluent in pickleball talk today!
Ace
A serve that is not returned by the receiver, or a serve that the receiver's paddle never touches.
Around-the-post (ATP)
A legal shot that travels outside the net posts, allowing it to stay below the height of the net.
Backcourt
The area of the court near the baseline.
Backhand
Striking the ball with the reverse side of the paddle while the back of your hand is facing the net.
Body shot
A shot that hits the body of your opponent, winning the point.
Carry
Hitting the ball so that it doesn't bounce away from the paddle but is carried along the face of the paddle.
Centerline
The line bisecting the service court from the non-volley line to the baseline.
Cross-court
The court diagonally opposite your court.
Dead Ball
The term used to describe the ball after a fault is declared.
Dink
A soft return shot, after the ball has bounced, that just clears the net and drops into your opponent's non-volley zone.
Double Bounce
A ball that bounces more than once (on one side) before it's returned. Following the serve, each side must make at least one ground-stroke prior to volleying the ball.
Drive
A powerful shot hit fast and low to your opponent's backcourt.
Drop Shot
A soft shot hit off a bounce from deep in the court, intended to land in your opponent's non-volley zone.
Fault
An infringement of the rules that results in a dead ball.
First Serve
In doubles, the first team member to serve the ball after a side–out.
Groundstroke
A ball that is struck after one bounce.
Half Volley
A groundstroke where the paddle contacts the ball low and immediately after it bounces.
Lob
A high, lofted shot that sends the ball overhead and deep to your opponent's backcourt.
Kitchen
Also called the "Non-Volley Zone" or NVZ. See definition below under "N".
Midcourt
The area of the court between the kitchen/non-volley zone and backcourt, including the transition zone.
Non-volley zone / NVZ
Also called the "kitchen", the non-volley zone includes all the lines around it. You can step or stand in the NVZ at any time, but both feet must be outside the NVZ before volleying the ball. If your momentum causes you to touch any part of the non-volley zone after volleying the ball, it results in a dead ball.
Pickled
To lose a game without scoring a single point.
Pickler
A pickleball player obsessed with the game.
Pukaball
Local style--another name for “pickleball”, because of the pukas (holes) in the ball.
Put-away
A shot that your opponent cannot react fast enough to successfully counter.
Rally
Continuous play that occurs after the serve and before a fault.
Receiver
The player returning the serve that is diagonally opposite the server.
Second Serve
In doubles, the person the serve passes to when the serving team commits their first fault after a side–out.
Service Court
The area on either side of the centerline, bound by the non-volley line, the baseline, and the sideline. All lines are included in the service court except the non-volley line.
Side Out
When the serve moves to the opponent's side.
Slam / Smash
A hard, overhand shot, usually as a result of a lob, high return, or high bounce.
Third shot drop
A strategy used by the serving team to place the ball just over the net in their opponent's NVZ. This makes it difficult for their opponent to attack the ball, and gives the serving team time to move up to the non-volley line.
Transition Zone
Also called "No Man's Land"; it's the area on the court between the NVZ and the baseline. Generally, it's the space 1-2 feet behind the Kitchen to 1-2 feet in front of the baseline. It's difficult to win points in this area because your opponents can hit the ball down at your feet.
Two Bounce Rule
After the serve, each side must hit one groundstroke before volleying the ball.
Volley
Hitting the ball in the air, before the ball has a chance to bounce.
Zero–Zero–Two or Zero–Zero–Start
The starting score for a game of doubles pickleball.