Is "ballgame" a word?

Question

Anyone know if "ballgame" is a legitimate word? I've checked a dictionary and it would seem not. Yet Yahoo Answers Spell-check hasn't picked it up as a misspelling.

I'm sure I've seen it written as one word. Just making sure...

Thanks!

Answer 1

technically it's two words, but most commonly used as one word. That's why spellcheck won't ever pick it up and the dictionary won't have it.

Answer 2

It depends on how you use it and what function it plays in a sentence.

for example in word combination "mesoamerican ballgame" you have to write it together, if you use it in a sentence like: A ball game is a game played with a ball. Someone who plays a ball game is known as a ballplayer.    then you have to use both words separately.  

Answer 3

Yes: Noun 1. ballgame - a particular situation that is radically different from the preceding situation.