hoop
n. countablen. a large ring made of wood, metal, or plastic. You might see children playing with one or athletes throwing a ball through one in basketball.
n. a circular band of metal, wood, or plastic. Often refers to the ring through which players must throw the ball in basketball or a large ring used for physical exercise and play.
She spun the plastic hoop around her waist.
The basketball player jumped high and slammed the ball through the hoop to win the game.
The gymnast moved with incredible grace, passing her entire body through the silver hoop while suspended several meters above the stage.
From Middle English hoop, hoope, from Old English hōp (“mound, raised land; in combination, circular object”), from Proto-Germanic hōpą (“bend, bow, arch”) (compare Saterland Frisian Houp (“hoop”), Dutch hoep (“hoop”), Old Norse hóp (“bay, inlet”)), from Proto-Indo-European kāb- (“to bend”) (compare Lithuanian kabė (“hook”), Old Church Slavonic кѫпъ (kǫpŭ, “hill, island”)). More at camp.
Onomatopoeic.
Often used in the plural 'hoops' to refer to the game of basketball informally.