bandy

1 of 3

verb

ban·​dy ˈban-dē How to pronounce bandy (audio)
bandied; bandying

transitive verb

1
a
: to discuss lightly or banteringly
Names of potential running mates have been bandied about.
b
: exchange
bandy compliments
especially : to exchange (words) argumentatively
c
: to toss from side to side or pass about from one to another often in a careless or inappropriate manner
A gun is not a toy to be bandied about.
d
: to use in a glib or offhand manner
often used with about
bandy these statistics about with considerable bravadoRichard Pollak
2
: to bat (something, such as a tennis ball) to and fro
3
archaic : to band together

intransitive verb

1
obsolete : contend
2
archaic : unite

bandy

2 of 3

noun

sports : a game similar to hockey and believed to be its prototype

bandy

3 of 3

adjective

1
of legs : bowed
2
: bowlegged
… stood beyond the bandy table …Dylan Thomas
bandy-legged
ˈban-dē-ˌlegd How to pronounce bandy (audio)
ˌban-dē-ˈle-gəd
-ˈlā-
adjective

Examples of bandy in a Sentence

Verb bandied around the idea of going out to dinner for their anniversary
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Though ideas of a cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun) spinoff have been bandied around, nothing has any actual legs at this point. Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Jan. 2024 Some impressive specs were bandied around, so take these with a pinch of salt, but Fisker mentioned three electric motors producing more than 1,000 horsepower, all-wheel drive, zero to 60 mph in just two seconds, and an almost unbelievable 600-mile driving range on a single charge. WIRED, 4 Aug. 2023 Likewise, there are proposed new AI laws that are being bandied around as potential solutions to keep AI endeavors from going amok on human rights and the like. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 17 July 2023 So there is something painfully familiar about the arguments hard-right conservatives are bandying in this week’s big House fight over the $886 billion defense bill. Robert Schlesinger, The New Republic, 13 July 2023 The group bandied the options around: Heat waves are fairly straightforward to analyze because many have been studied and linked to climate change. Lois Parshley, Scientific American, 16 May 2023 The vast majority of those – the numbers that have been bandied around, 16,000, are dual nationals, Sudanese Americans. ABC News, 23 Apr. 2023 His name now is being bandied around as a potential Senate or White House contender. Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 19 Feb. 2023 When commentators bandy about those eye-popping numbers about how much time gamers invest in games, it's usually done to bemoan the youth of America wasting their time on trivial pursuits. Andrew Moseman, Discover Magazine, 25 Jan. 2011
Noun
So naturally, Duchess Kate, who played field hockey while attending school, had to give the sport a try during her first official visit to Sweden, picking up bandy sticks during a stop in Stockholm with Prince William on Tuesday. Maeve McDermott, USA TODAY, 30 Jan. 2018 The flask was brought in a bandy portfolj, a briefcase that traditionally contains a flask of warm wine or coffee laced with alcohol. Simon Perry, PEOPLE.com, 30 Jan. 2018 During their royal tour of Sweden, the couple stopped by an ice rink to learn more about bandy hockey (the Swedish sport is like traditional hockey, but played with a curved stick and a ball). Elise Taylor, Vogue, 30 Jan. 2018
Adjective
On the first day of their official visit to Sweden, Prince William and Kate Middleton met up with their hosts (and Swedish counterparts!), Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel after a morning spent watching (and playing a bit of) bandy hockey. Simon Perry, PEOPLE.com, 30 Jan. 2018 Just turn to Kate Middleton and Prince William, who were photographed playing a little bandy hockey on Tuesday in Stockholm, Sweden. Peggy Truong, Cosmopolitan, 30 Jan. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bandy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

probably borrowed from the base of French bander "to strike (a ball with a racket), stretch or draw back (a bow, spring, etc.)," going back to Old French, "to stretch, wrap with bandages," verbal derivative of bande "strip, band entry 1"

Note: The origin of the suffix -y, -ie is unclear. The noun bandie referring to a variation of tennis is of the same date and suggests a putative Middle French bandé or bandée, but no such word is attested.

Noun

earlier, "a variety of tennis," probably noun derivative of bandy entry 1

Note: See note at bandy entry 1.

Adjective

perhaps from bandy "curved stick used in the game of bandy," apparently a sense of bandy entry 2

First Known Use

Verb

1577, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Noun

1673, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1681, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bandy was in 1577

Dictionary Entries Near bandy

Cite this Entry

“Bandy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bandy. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bandy

1 of 2 verb
ban·​dy ˈban-dē How to pronounce bandy (audio)
bandied; bandying
1
: to exchange (words) in argument
2
: to discuss or mention in gossip or small talk
several names were bandied about

bandy

2 of 2 adjective
: curved especially outward
bandy legs

Medical Definition

bandy

adjective
ban·​dy ˈban-dē How to pronounce bandy (audio)
1
of legs : bowed outward at or below the knee
2

More from Merriam-Webster on bandy

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