Pickleball Glossary

Glossary explained in plain English for parents learning Pickleball.

Term	Plain-English Meaning	Example	Also Known As
Serve	The shot that starts a rally, usually hit underhand from behind the baseline into the diagonal service court.	The server calls the score and serves cross-court.	Service
Service court	The diagonal box where a serve must land after clearing the kitchen.	The serve lands deep in the right service court.	Serve box
Baseline	The back boundary line of the court, where players serve from behind.	The server keeps both feet behind the baseline before serving.	Back line
Sideline	The side boundary line of the court.	A rally ball lands outside the sideline, so it is out.	Side boundary
Centerline	The line that divides the service courts on each side.	The server aims to the correct side of the centerline for the score.	Middle service line
Kitchen	The common nickname for the non-volley zone near the net.	The player steps into the kitchen to hit a ball after it bounces.	Non-volley zone
Non-volley zone	The seven-foot area on both sides of the net where players cannot volley.	A player may stand in the non-volley zone only if they are not volleying the ball.	Kitchen
Volley	A shot hit before the ball bounces.	The player volleys a high ball while standing outside the kitchen.	Air shot
Dink	A soft controlled shot that drops low over the net, often into the kitchen.	The players trade dinks until one side gets a ball they can attack safely.	Soft shot
Two-bounce rule	The rule that the return of serve and the next shot by the serving team must each bounce before volleys are allowed.	The server waits for the return to bounce before hitting the third shot.	Double-bounce rule
Side out	The change of serve from one side to the other after the serving side loses its turn.	After the second server faults, it is a side out.	Change of serve
Fault	A mistake that ends the rally, such as hitting out, into the net, volleying from the kitchen, or letting the ball bounce twice.	The rally ends because the ball bounces twice before the player reaches it.	Error
Rally scoring	A scoring format where either side can score a point, even if it did not serve.	The youth clinic uses rally scoring to keep games moving.	Every-rally scoring
Side-out scoring	A scoring format where only the serving side can score.	The receiving team wins the rally, so it gets the serve but not a point.	Traditional scoring
Server number	The third number in many doubles score calls, showing whether the first or second server is serving.	The call 3-5-2 means the second server is serving.	First server;second server
Return	The shot hit by the receiving side after the serve.	A deep return gives the receiving team time to move forward.	Return of serve
Third shot	The serving team's first shot after the return of serve bounces.	A controlled third shot helps the serving team move toward the kitchen line.	Third-shot drop
Line call	A decision that a ball landed in or out.	The player calls out after the ball lands beyond the baseline.	In-out call
Transition zone	The middle area between the baseline and kitchen line where players move forward carefully.	The player pauses in the transition zone to hit a controlled ball before rushing the net.	No-man's land
Kitchen line	The boundary line at the front of the service courts that marks the edge of the non-volley zone.	Players try to get to the kitchen line under control during doubles.	Non-volley line