ping pong
Meaning
-
- table tennis.
- An instance of figuratively bouncing something or someone back and forth.
- The exchange of proposed amendments between the two Houses of Parliament, particularly at the end of a session when compromises have to be made to complete the legislative process within the limited time available.
- A size of photograph a little larger than a postage stamp.
- A small, shallow steelpan drum.
Pronounced as (IPA)
/ˈpɪŋˌpɒŋ/
Etymology
Onomatopoeic. The name “ping-pong” was in wide use before British manufacturer J. Jaques & Son Ltd trademarked it in 1901. Jaques sold the rights to the “ping-pong” name in the United States to Parker Brothers. Registered in the United States in 1930, Ping-Pong (with dash) is still a registered wordmark of Parker Brothers, Inc. Contrary to a common misconception, the word does not originate from Chinese 乒乓 (pīngpāng), though there are possibilities that the coiners encountered Chinese themselves.
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