Bocce
Noun
- An Italian game similar to lawn bowling but played on a shorter, narrower green.
Example Sentences
“Our family loves to play bocce in the backyard during the summer.”
“The bar is crowded, but there is plenty of space to play bocce outside.”
“Make sure to pack the bocce equipment and cooler for the beach.”
Word Origin
Italian, early 19th century
Why this word?
Even if you’re not the most athletic person, you can find fun with games in the boules, or lawn bowling, family. The various forms of lawn bowling have their own specific rules and customs, but they’re all inspired by ancient Roman games. France has “pétanque,” the Anglo world has bowls, and Italy has “bocce.” Bocce is an easy game to pick up, but it requires skill to master it. Play starts with a pallino (small ball) being thrown onto the court, and teams then alternate throwing a bocce ball as close to the pallino as possible. The official rules get quite a bit more complicated, but it’s a friendly game, so just follow your teammate’s lead until you get the hang of it.
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