Badminton is a racquet sport played using racquets to hit a shuttlecock across a net. Badminton is often played as a casual outdoor activity in a yard or on a beach; formal games are played on a rectangular indoor court. Play ends once the shuttlecock has struck the floor or if a fault has been called by the umpire, service judge, or (in their absence) the opposing side.

The game developed in British India from the earlier game of battledore and shuttlecock. European play came to be dominated by Denmark but the game has became very popular in Asia, with recent competitions dominated by China. Since 1992, badminton has been a Summer Olympic sport with five events: men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles. At high levels of play, the sport demands excellent fitness: players require aerobic stamina, agility, strength, speed, and precision. It is also a technical sport, requiring good motor coordination and the development of sophisticated racquet movements.