From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishldoce_057_bcroquetcro‧quet /ˈkrəʊkeɪ, -ki $ kroʊˈkeɪ/ noun [uncountable] DSOa game played on grass in which players hit balls with wooden mallets (=long-handled hammers) so that they roll under curved wires called hoops
Examples from the Corpus
croquet• There are five acres of grounds with a walled garden and croquet green.• And horseshoes and croquet and a grape arbor and apple trees?• She gave her attention to a yard where some young people are playing the newly popular game called croquet.• It was the strangest game of croquet in Alice's life!• They were dressed half for battle, half for tennis or croquet.• They were captivated by the beautiful village, played croquet on the lawn and altogether had a delightful time.• The Klubocks were playing croquet in their yard with another couple.• Mr Charles Waterfield taking a shot on the croquet lawn.Origin croquet (1800-1900) French dialect “hockey stick”, from Old North French, “tool with a hook”, from croc “hook”, probably from Old Norse krokr; → CROOK1 