A basket is a container made by weaving together flexible materials like thin strips of wood, reeds, or strong grasses. Picture how you might braid hair by crossing strands over and under each other: basket makers do something similar, but they weave the strands in circular or rectangular patterns to create sturdy containers with open sides that let air flow through.

People have been making baskets for at least 12,000 years, using them to gather food, carry belongings, and store grain. Different cultures developed distinctive weaving patterns and shapes. Native American tribes wove baskets so tightly they could hold water. Japanese artisans created elegant bamboo baskets for tea ceremonies. Even today, skilled basket weavers create beautiful, functional containers entirely by hand.

The word also refers to the goal in basketball: a metal hoop with a net hanging from it. When you make a basket in basketball, you've scored by throwing the ball through the hoop.

You might also hear someone talk about a basket of goods, meaning a collection of different items grouped together, like a gift basket filled with treats or a market basket of groceries used to track prices over time.