What does forehand mean?
Forehand is primarily a noun used in racket sports such as tennis, squash, and badminton to describe a stroke played with the palm of the hand facing forward — that is, on the same side of the body as the hand holding the racket. It contrasts directly with the backhand, which is struck across the body with the back of the hand leading. Because most players develop greater power and consistency on this side, the forehand is often a player's signature shot, and coaches devote considerable practice time to refining its technique. The term also has an older, more specialised meaning: in equestrian contexts, 'forehand' refers to the front portion of a horse's body, from the neck through the shoulders, and its condition is considered important to the animal's balance and movement. Whether describing an athletic stroke or an anatomical region, the word consistently conveys frontward orientation, deriving its meaning from the combination of 'fore' (front) and 'hand'.
nounA forehand is a stroke in racket sports such as tennis or squash, played with the palm of the hand facing forward, on the side of the body where the player holds the racket. The word can also refer to the front part of a horse's body from the neck to the shoulders.
- A stroke in racket sports played with the palm of the hand facing forward, on the racket-holding side of the body.
- The front part of a horse's body from the neck to the shoulders.
"Her forehand down the line clinched the final point of the match."
"He hit a blistering forehand winner past his opponent at the net."
"The judge praised the horse's strong, well-muscled forehand as it trotted around the ring."
Used mainly in sports commentary and analysis, typically when counting or comparing shots rather than referring to the stroke in general.
"Both players traded heavy forehands from the baseline throughout the rally."
The word 'forehand' predates tennis itself — it originally described the front half of a knight's horse.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of forehand
Forehand derives from the English words 'fore', meaning front or earlier, and 'hand', combining them into a compound whose literal sense is 'the front hand or side'. The word emerged in Middle English, where it was applied to the front part of a horse's body before later being adopted into racket sports to describe strokes played on the hand's own side of the body. It shares its 'fore-' prefix with a family of English compounds such as 'foresee', 'foretell', and 'foremost', all signalling position ahead or precedence in time.
How forehand is actually used
The sporting sense dominates modern usage, especially in tennis commentary and coaching. The equestrian sense referring to a horse's front quarters is older and now largely confined to specialist riding and veterinary contexts. In casual speech, players often simply say 'my forehand' to mean both the stroke and their proficiency at it, as in 'she has a great forehand.'
Easily confused with forehand
A forehand is played with the palm facing forward on the racket side of the body, while a backhand is played with the back of the hand facing forward across the body.