Volleyball glossary
Volleyball terms, explained in plain English
Every word you are likely to hear in a gym, at the beach, or from a coach, in 123 short definitions you can read in a few seconds each.
This glossary is for anyone who is new to the game or wants to keep up: first-time players, parents watching from the bleachers, and adults joining a rec or league team who want to know what a slide, a pipe, or an overlap actually is.
Indoor and beach volleyball share most of their terms, but some rules differ, like scoring, blocking, and how strictly sets are called. Beach-only terms are marked in their definitions, and where rules vary between international (FIVB), college, high school, and rec play, the definition says so.
123 terms, A to Z.
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- 1-ball
- A very fast set to the middle blocker, delivered just above the net right in front of the setter. The hitter is usually in the air before the ball is set.
- 10-foot line
- Another name for the attack line, which sits 3 meters (about 10 feet) from the centerline on each side of the net. See also: Attack line
- 31
- A quick set to the middle blocker a few feet in front of the setter, between the setter and the left antenna. It is part of the common number system for naming sets.
- 32
- A lower, faster set to a spot between the middle and the left sideline, often hit by an outside hitter. Like other numbered sets, the exact meaning can vary a little from team to team.
- 5-1
- A lineup that uses one setter in all six rotations. The setter plays front row for three rotations and back row for three. See also: Setter, 6-2
- 6-2
- A lineup that uses two setters, with whoever is in the back row doing the setting. It gives the team three front-row hitters in every rotation.
A
- Ace
- A serve that scores a point directly, either because it lands untouched or because the receiving team cannot keep it in play. See also: Serve, Service error
- Antenna
- The thin, striped rod attached to the top of the net above each sideline. The ball must pass between the antennas when it crosses the net, and hitting an antenna makes the ball out.
- Approach
- The steps a hitter takes before jumping to attack. A typical approach is three or four steps that build speed and turn it into height.
- Assist
- A stat credited to the player, usually the setter, whose pass or set leads directly to a teammate's kill.
- Attack
- Any attempt to send the ball over the net to score, other than a serve or block. Spikes, tips, and roll shots all count as attack attempts.
- Attack error
- An attack that ends the rally in the other team's favor: hit out, hit into the net, blocked straight down for a point, or called for a violation.
- Attack line
- The line 3 meters (about 10 feet) from the centerline that separates the front zone from the back zone. Back-row players must take off from behind it to attack a ball that is entirely above the net. See also: Back-row attack, 10-foot line
B
- Back row
- The three players in zones 1, 6, and 5, farthest from the net. They can play anywhere in the back court but face limits on attacking and blocking.
- Back set
- A set delivered behind the setter's head, usually to the right side or opposite hitter.
- Back-row attack
- An attack by a back-row player. It is legal if the player takes off from behind the attack line, or if the ball is not completely above the top of the net when it is hit. See also: Attack line, Pipe
- Ball handling error
- A general term for an illegal contact, such as a carry, lift, or double contact. Referees in different leagues call these with different levels of strictness.
- Beach volleyball
- Volleyball played on sand, usually with two players per side on a smaller court. Most terms are the same as indoor, but the scoring, blocking, and ball handling rules differ. See also: Side switch, Hand signals
- Block
- A play at the net where one or more front-row players reach above the net to stop or deflect an opponent's attack. Indoors, a block touch does not count as one of the team's three contacts; in beach it does. See also: Solo block, Double block, Triple block
- Block assist
- A stat given to each player on a two- or three-player block that scores a point. Each blocker gets an assist rather than splitting a solo block.
- Block out
- When an attack touches the block and then lands out of bounds. The point goes to the attacking team.
C
- Carry
- An illegal contact where the ball comes to rest or is held, thrown, or pushed instead of cleanly hit. Also called a lift. See also: Lift, Ball handling error
- Centerline
- The line directly under the net that divides the court in half. Under most rules a foot may touch or cross it as long as part of the foot stays on or above the line and the player does not interfere with the opponent.
- Cover
- Players moving in close behind and around their own hitter to dig up a ball that is blocked back onto their side. See also: Dig
- Cross-court shot
- An attack hit diagonally across the court, away from the sideline the hitter is attacking from.
D
- Deciding set
- The last possible set of a match, such as the fifth set in a best-of-five match. Indoors it is usually played to 15, still won by 2 points.
- Defensive specialist
- A back-row player brought in mainly for passing and digging. Unlike the libero, a defensive specialist counts against regular substitutions and may serve. See also: Libero, Serving specialist
- Dig
- Passing a hard-driven attack so that it stays in play. It is also a stat credited when a player keeps an opponent's attack alive. See also: Pancake, Pass
- Dink
- A soft attack pushed just over or around the block. Another name for a tip.
- Double block
- A block made by two front-row players jumping together, most often the middle blocker and an outside or right-side blocker.
- Double contact
- When one player touches the ball twice in a row, or the ball hits two parts of the body one after the other. It is usually allowed on the team's first contact, such as a hard-driven serve or attack, but rules on this vary, and beach referees tend to be stricter on sets. See also: Ball handling error
- Down ball
- A ball the opponents send over standing or with a light swing instead of a full jump attack. Blockers usually stay down and the defense backs up to dig it.
- Dump
- A surprise attack by the setter on the second contact, usually tipped or pushed over the net instead of setting a hitter.
E
- End line
- The boundary line at each end of the court, farthest from the net. Servers stand behind it.
F
- Facial
- Slang for an attack that hits a defender in the face. Also called a six pack. Players usually check that the person is okay first. See also: Six pack
- Five-set match
- A best-of-five format used in many indoor competitions, including most college and international play. The first four sets go to 25 and a fifth set goes to 15.
- Float serve
- A serve hit with no spin, so the ball moves unpredictably in the air, a bit like a knuckleball. See also: Jump float, Topspin serve
- Foot fault
- Stepping on or over the end line while serving before the ball is contacted. The serve is a fault and the point goes to the other team.
- Forearm pass
- Playing the ball off the flat surface formed by both forearms held together. It is the most common way to receive serves and dig attacks. Also called a bump.
- Four hits
- A fault called when a team touches the ball four times before sending it over. Each team gets three contacts, and indoors a block touch does not count as one of them.
- Free ball
- An easy ball the opponents send over with a pass or set instead of an attack. The receiving team calls "free" and gets ready to run a full offense. See also: Down ball
- Front row
- The three players in zones 2, 3, and 4, closest to the net. Only front-row players may block or attack a ball from above the net in front of the attack line.
G
- Game point
- The point that would win a set for the team that is ahead. Also called set point.
H
- Hand signals
- Signals a beach blocker shows behind the back before the serve to tell a partner what they plan to block, such as line or angle. Each hand signals to the hitter on that side. See also: Beach volleyball
- Hitter
- Any player whose main job is attacking, such as an outside, opposite, or middle. Also called an attacker or spiker.
- Hitting percentage
- The main stat for attacking efficiency: kills minus attack errors, divided by total attack attempts. A player with 10 kills and 2 errors on 30 swings hits .267. See also: Kill, Attack error
I
- In system
- When a team gets a good enough pass that the setter can run the planned offense with all hitting options. See also: Out of system
J
- Joust
- When players from both teams contact the ball at the same moment above the net and push against each other. Play continues, and the team that ends up with the ball gets a fresh set of three contacts. See also: Block
- Jump float
- A float serve hit after a short jump, which adds a steeper angle and less time to read it.
- Jump serve
- A powerful serve where the server tosses the ball high, takes an approach, and hits it in the air with topspin, much like a spike.
K
- Kill
- An attack that wins the point outright, either because the ball lands on the other side or the opponents cannot keep it in play. See also: Attack, Hitting percentage
L
- Let serve
- A serve that touches the net and still goes over. Under current FIVB, USA Volleyball, college, and high school rules it is legal and play continues, though some rec leagues still replay or fault it.
- Libero
- A back-row defensive specialist who wears a different-colored jersey and can replace any back-row player without using a substitution. The libero cannot attack a ball that is entirely above the net or block; whether the libero may serve depends on the rules in use. See also: Libero replacement, Defensive specialist
- Libero replacement
- The libero swapping in or out for a back-row player. These swaps do not count as substitutions, but there must be a completed rally between the libero leaving and coming back in. See also: Libero, Substitution
- Lift
- Another word for a carry, where the ball is held or scooped rather than cleanly hit.
- Line judge
- An official who stands at a corner of the court and uses a flag to signal whether balls land in or out and when the ball touches a player before going out.
- Line shot
- An attack hit straight down the sideline the hitter is closest to, rather than across the court.
M
- Match
- A full contest between two teams, made up of sets. Most matches are best of three or best of five sets.
- Match point
- The point that would win the match for the team that is ahead.
N
- Net violation
- Touching the net during play in a way the rules do not allow. Under most current rules, touching the net between the antennas while playing the ball is a fault, while incidental touches away from the play may be allowed; leagues differ on the details.
O
- Off-speed shot
- Any attack hit with less than full power, such as a tip or roll shot, used to catch the defense out of position.
- Opposite
- The hitter who lines up opposite the setter in the rotation and attacks mostly from the right side. Also called the right side hitter. See also: Right side, Setter
- Out of bounds
- Anywhere outside the sidelines and end lines. A ball that lands on any part of a line is in.
- Out of system
- When a poor pass keeps the setter from running the planned offense, so the team usually sets a high, safe ball to an outside hitter.
- Outside hitter
- The hitter who attacks mostly from the left front of the court and also passes in serve receive. Often the team's busiest attacker. Also called the left side.
- Overlap
- A fault called when players are out of their correct rotational positions at the moment the ball is served. Also called a rotational fault. See also: Rotational fault, Rotation
- Overpass
- A pass or dig that goes straight over the net to the opponents, often giving them an easy attack or a chance to block it down.
P
- Pancake
- A dig made by sliding a flat hand along the floor so the ball bounces off the back of the hand instead of the floor. See also: Dig
- Pass
- Any controlled first contact, usually a forearm pass, that sends the ball to the setter. Also used for receiving a serve.
- Pepper
- A warm-up drill where two players pass, set, and hit to each other in a continuous pattern.
- Pipe
- A back-row attack from the middle of the court, usually by an outside hitter who is playing in the back row. See also: Back-row attack
- Platform
- The flat surface made by joining both forearms together for a forearm pass. Keeping it steady and angled toward the target is the key to good passing.
Q
R
- Rally
- The sequence of play from the serve until the ball is dead and a point is awarded.
- Rally scoring
- The scoring system where a point is won on every rally, no matter which team served. Indoor sets are usually played to 25 and beach sets to 21, both won by 2. See also: Side out, Win by two
- Ready position
- A balanced stance with knees bent, weight forward, and arms out in front, used while waiting to pass or dig.
- Reception
- Receiving the opponent's serve, usually with a forearm pass. Also called serve receive.
- Reception error
- A stat for a serve receive that gives the serving team a point, such as a shank that goes out or a ball that falls between passers. It is the mirror of an ace.
- Red card
- A referee sanction for serious misconduct. In most rules it costs the team a point and the serve.
- Referee
- The official in charge of the match. The first referee stands on a raised platform at one end of the net, and in higher levels a second referee works from the floor on the other side.
- Right side
- The right front attacking position, and another name for the opposite hitter who plays there. Right-side players also block the opponent's outside hitter.
- Roll shot
- An off-speed attack where the hitter swings with a slower arm and rolls topspin onto the ball so it drops just over the block.
- Roof
- Slang for a block that sends the attack straight back down onto the hitter's side of the court for a point.
- Rotation
- The clockwise move every player makes, one position over, each time their team wins back the serve. It means players take turns serving and play both front and back row. The libero is the exception: they play only in the back row, and whether they may serve depends on the rules in use. See also: Side out, Zones, Libero
- Rotational fault
- Serving out of order or having players out of position when the ball is served. The other team gets the point and the serve.
S
- Screen
- Players on the serving team standing or moving to block the receivers' view of the server or the ball. It is a fault under most rules.
- Serve
- The overhand or underhand hit from behind the end line that starts every rally. Common types include the float, topspin, and jump serve. See also: Float serve, Jump serve, Underhand serve
- Serve receive
- The formation and skill a team uses to receive the opponent's serve, with designated passers covering parts of the court.
- Service error
- A serve that ends the rally in the receiving team's favor: into the net, out of bounds, a foot fault, or served by the wrong player.
- Service zone
- The area behind the end line, between the extended sidelines, from which the server must hit the ball.
- Serving order
- The fixed order in which players serve, set by the lineup at the start of each set and followed through each rotation.
- Serving specialist
- A player who comes in mainly to serve, often for one rotation, and then is substituted back out.
- Set
- The second contact in most plays, usually an overhead pass with the fingertips that places the ball for a hitter to attack.
- Set (game)
- One game within a match. Indoor sets are usually played to 25 and beach sets to 21, both won by 2, with a shorter deciding set.
- Setter
- The player who handles the second contact and decides which hitter gets the ball. Often called the quarterback of the team. See also: Set, 5-1, 6-2
- Shank
- A badly mishit pass that flies off in the wrong direction, often out of bounds or into the stands.
- Side out
- Winning a rally while receiving serve, which gives your team the serve. Under rally scoring it also earns a point. See also: Rally scoring, Rotation
- Side switch
- In beach volleyball, teams switch ends of the court every 7 points in sets to 21 and every 5 points in a deciding set to 15, so neither team plays the wind or sun longer.
- Sideline
- The boundary lines along each side of the court. A ball that lands on the line is in.
- Six pack
- Slang for an attack that hits a defender in the face. Also called a facial. It is part of the game, but players usually check on each other. See also: Facial
- Sky ball
- A beach serve hit very high into the air so it comes down nearly straight, making it hard to judge in the sun and wind.
- Slide
- An attack where the middle blocker runs behind the setter and takes off on one foot, like a layup, to hit a quick set near the right antenna.
- Solo block
- A block by one player that scores a point. In the stats it counts as one full block.
- Spike
- A hard, downward attack hit with an overhand swing. Players often use it as a general word for hitting.
- Stuff block
- A block that sends the ball straight down onto the attacker's side for a point.
- Substitution
- Replacing one player with another during a set. The number allowed per set depends on the rules: international play allows few, while college, high school, and many rec leagues allow more.
- Switch
- Players changing to their preferred spots on the court right after the serve, for example the setter moving to right front. It is legal once the ball has been served.
T
- Timeout
- A short break a team can call to talk strategy or stop the other team's momentum. The number and length vary by level; many formats give each team two per set indoors and one per set on the beach.
- Tip
- A soft attack pushed with the fingertips just over or around the block. Open-hand tips are legal indoors but not in beach, where players use a pokey or cut shot instead. See also: Dink, Pokey
- Tool
- Slang for hitting the ball off the block so that it goes out of bounds, scoring a point for the attacker. Also called a wipe. See also: Block out, Wipe
- Topspin serve
- A serve hit with forward spin so the ball dips quickly as it crosses the net.
- Touch
- A light contact with the ball, often by a blocker. Players call "touch" so teammates and officials know the ball was played.
- Transition
- Switching from defense to offense, or back again, in the middle of a rally, such as blockers dropping off the net to get ready to attack.
- Triple block
- A block made by all three front-row players jumping together against one hitter.
U
- Underhand serve
- A serve hit with an underhand swing from about waist height. It is common for beginners and in many rec leagues.
W
- Win by two
- The rule that a set must be won by at least 2 points, so play continues past 25 (or 21, or 15) until one team leads by two.
Y
- Yellow card
- A referee warning for misconduct. In most rules it carries no point penalty but goes on the scoresheet.
Z
FAQ
Common questions
What are the positions in volleyball?
Indoor teams usually play with a setter, two outside hitters, two middle blockers, and an opposite (right side) hitter, plus a libero who replaces players in the back row. Coaches may also bring in a defensive specialist or a serving specialist. Because players rotate, these are roles rather than fixed spots, and players switch to their preferred positions after each serve.
What is a libero?
A libero is a back-row defensive specialist who wears a different-colored jersey. The libero can replace any back-row player without using a substitution, but cannot block or attack a ball that is entirely above the net. Whether a libero may serve depends on the rules: international rules do not allow it, while college and high school rules let the libero serve in one rotation.
What is a kill in volleyball?
A kill is an attack that wins the point directly, because the ball lands on the other side or the defense cannot keep it in play. Kills are used to work out hitting percentage, which is kills minus attack errors, divided by total attack attempts.
How does rotation work in volleyball?
Each time a team wins the serve back from the other team, its players rotate one position clockwise and the player moving into right back (zone 1) serves. This means players take turns serving and playing both front and back row, except the libero, who plays only in the back row and may or may not serve depending on the rules in use. Players must be in the correct order when the ball is served, or the team is called for an overlap.
What is an ace in volleyball?
An ace is a serve that wins the point outright, either landing untouched in the court or being passed so badly that the receiving team cannot keep it in play. Aces are tracked as a serving stat, and the matching error for the receiving team is a reception error.
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