hoop

A hoop is a circular, ring-shaped object that forms a hollow circle. Hoops are made from metal, plastic, wood, or composite materials and are used to encircle, support, or decorate other objects. The term can refer to a physical ring or to a wider category of equipment and accessories that share this circular form.

In sports and recreation, In basketball, the hoop is the metal rim attached to a backboard through which players shoot the ball; it is part of a system that includes the net and backboard. The standard rim diameter is 18 inches (46 cm), and the hoop is positioned 10 feet above the court. The term can also refer to similar ring-like targets or supports in other sports and training apparatus.

The hula hoop is a large plastic or fiberglass ring spun around the body, often around the waist, hips, or limbs, as a form of play or exercise. Hoops vary in diameter, weight, and stiffness.

Hoop earrings are circular or semicircular earrings worn through pierced ears. They range from small to oversized and are crafted from metals such as gold, silver, or platinum, as well as plastics and other materials.

In fashion history, hoop skirts or crinolines used hoops—rigid rings beneath a skirt—to create a broad, cylindrical silhouette in the 19th century. Later fashion used flexible petticoats and hoops to achieve volume.

In engineering and terminology, hoop refers to the circumferential direction around a cylinder or pipe. Hoop stress describes the tension around the circumference of a pressurized vessel. The term also describes ring-like components used to reinforce or join structures.