Both of these words refer to elements of old aristocratic European culture which do not appear in America often today, but which are not as uncommon in the UK.
Croquet is a sport in which players hit a wooden ball through small gate-like objects, called wickets, on a lawn (a field of grass)—such as the lawn of a private home. It is not an athletic sport—not the kind played in stadiums; it only requires walking and hitting balls carefully with a big wooden hammer. Although most Americans are not familiar with croquet, it is still common in England:
After tea, the royal couple played croquet on the lawn.
A croquette, in contrast, is a kind of savory pastry—a small, fried pastry containing chopped up meat and/or vegetables, somewhat like a fried dumpling, except with a flakier crust—like a croissant. One often sees croquettes as hors d’oevres (appetizers)—small, fancy food items served to guests at a party, or before dinner. You will not often see croquettes on American menus, except as appetizers in a fancy restaurant.
More Examples of How to Use "Croquet" in a Sentence
- Croquet used to be a game that was played exclusively by the wealthy, but that's no longer true.
- Croquet has been gaining popularity in recent years, with more people playing it both competitively and recreationally.
- I learned how to play croquet last summer.
- There are many different variations of croquet, but the basic rules remain the same.
- The Croquet Association is the governing body for the sport of croquet in the United Kingdom.
- The international governing body for the sport of croquet is the Federation Internationale de Croquet.
More Examples of How to Use "Croquette" in a Sentence
- I had a croquette for lunch and it was really good.
- I'm not sure how to make a croquette, but I would like to learn.
- The croquettes at this restaurant are some of the best that I've ever had.
- I love croquettes because they are so versatile and can be made with many different ingredients.
- Potato croquettes are a popular side dish in many restaurants.
- The croquettes were delicious, so we will definitely be having them again!