Meaning & use
hockey stick
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A long stick with a curved end, used to hit the ball or puck in hockey.
Grammar: Countable noun; you can say 'a hockey stick' or 'hockey sticks'.
Patterns
- a hockey stick
- hit the ball with a hockey stick
He scored the goal with a powerful swing of his hockey stick.
She left her hockey stick in the locker room.
The players checked their hockey sticks before the match.
nouncountablefigurative
A graph line that stays flat then rises sharply, shaped like a hockey stick.
Grammar: Countable noun; often used in climate science and economics.
Patterns
- hockey stick graph
- hockey stick curve
The temperature graph showed a hockey stick shape, with a sudden increase in recent decades.
Economists pointed to a hockey stick pattern in the sales data.
Word forms
| plural | hockey sticks |
|---|
Common combinations
- ice hockey stick
- Ice hockey sticks are made of composite materials.
- field hockey stick
- A field hockey stick has a curved head for hitting the ball.
- hockey stick blade
- The blade of the hockey stick is taped for better grip.
- hockey stick handle
- He gripped the hockey stick handle tightly.
Synonyms and how they differ
- stick
- In hockey contexts, 'stick' alone often means hockey stick, but it can refer to other sticks too.
Word family
- hockey noun
- The sport played with a stick and a ball or puck.
- hockey player noun
- A person who plays hockey.
Commonly confused: hockey stick or hockey puck?
hockey stick vs hockey puck
A puck is the black disc used in ice hockey; a stick is the long tool used to hit it.
Practice
What is a hockey stick used for?
Choose one answer.
A hockey stick is specifically designed for hockey to hit the ball or puck. The other options describe unrelated objects.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “hockey stick”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.