noun
gridiron
GRID-eye-ern/ˈɡrɪdaɪərn/
The marked playing field used for American football.
Parallel yard lines cross the gridiron between the two end zones.
Etymology
Middle English gridire named a cooking grate. The resemblance between a grate’s parallel bars and a football field’s yard lines gave the field its name.
In context
ON THE GRIDIRON, GUNNER OLSZEWSKI WAS NAMED TO THE D2 COACHES ALL AMERICA FIRST TEAM.
More examples
- The players jog onto the gridiron before kickoff.
- Heavy rain leaves the gridiron too muddy for practice.
- Crews repaint the yard lines on both gridirons.
Forms
gridiron · gridirons
Similar words
- football field
- The everyday term for the same marked playing area.
- field
- A broader term for playing areas used in many sports.