Meaning & use
air hockey
Last updated
UK/ˈeə ˌhɒki/
US/ˈer ˌhɑːki/
Meaning
noununcountable
A fast arcade game in which two players use handheld paddles to hit a plastic disc across a table cushioned by a layer of blown air.
Grammar: No article is needed: they played air hockey.
Patterns
- play air hockey
We played air hockey at the arcade after the movie.
My brother always beats me at air hockey.
There is an air hockey table in the basement.
Common combinations
- play air hockey
- Let's play air hockey while we wait.
- an air hockey table
- The youth club bought an air hockey table.
- air hockey puck
- The air hockey puck flew off the table.
- air hockey tournament
- She won the school air hockey tournament.
- win at air hockey
- He tried to win at air hockey with a surprise shot.
Synonyms and how they differ
- table hockey
- Table hockey is a different game with rods and figures, while air hockey uses paddles and a floating disc.
- arcade game
- Arcade game is a broad category, whereas air hockey names one specific game.
Word family
Commonly confused: air hockey or ice hockey?
air hockey vs ice hockey
Ice hockey is played on ice by teams with sticks, while air hockey is a tabletop game for two.
Practice
What makes the puck glide so easily in air hockey?
Choose one answer.
Tiny holes in the table blow air upward, which lets the puck float. Ice belongs to ice hockey, not this game.
Make it your own
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