Definition of hockey

The word "hockey" originated from the French word "hoquet," meaning "shepherd's stick." This term was used to describe various forms of stick-and-ball games played on ice and land. In the mid-19th century, British soldiers in Canada began to adopt a version of the game called "colliequet," which was played on a frozen pond near Montreal. The name "hockey" gained popularity as the sport spread throughout the country. The first organized hockey club, the McGill University Hockey Club, was founded in 1877, and the National Hockey Association (NHA) was established in 1909. The modern game of ice hockey as we know it today was formalized in the early 20th century, with the National Hockey League (NHL) being founded in 1917.