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The four majors in tennis are known as Grand Slams.

The "Grand" part clearly defines the prestige/size of the event but where do we get the word "Slam" from in this context?

Basic research shows that it originated perhaps in bridge/whist-type card games.

Does it carry the same history as the Scandinavian slamra for the verb "to slam"?

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3 Answers

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The term Grand Slam originated in the card-playing world; according to the Online Etymology Dictionary in the 1620s. The term is now mostly confined to contract bridge. (This appears to predate the meaning of a severe blow by about fifty years).

The use in tennis and golf derives from this; a player who has won all the most important tournaments is said to have won a Grand Slam, and the tournaments that are counted for this naturally become the Grand Slam Tournaments.

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3  
You might mention that it is specifically the bridge-playing world, in which a grand slam means taking all the tricks. Cf. "small slam," in which all but one are taken. – Robusto Jul 5 '12 at 11:34
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@Robusto, the term is (was?) also used in whist, and also (in slightly different circumstances) in older (and defunct) card games such as triumph, but I accept your point that bridge is the only popular game that uses it (I believe whist clings on in some places). – Brian Hooper Jul 5 '12 at 11:39
Thanks, Brian. But do you know how it came to be used in card games? Perhaps I didn't phrase my question too well. – Ste Jul 5 '12 at 12:12
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Etymonline dates the card game use to before the other two uses (a severe blow and shutting a door), which makes the origin quite mysterious. – Peter Shor Jul 5 '12 at 12:19
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Some ancillary data mostly from Webster's Second: Slam (slamm) is "an old card game associated with ruff." Ruff "is a game similar to whist and may be a the predecessor of it." Whist was earlier called whisk, "from whisking up the tricks, but later accommodated to whist from the silence observed at play." And you can (verb) slam, ruff, euchre, or be euchred. – jitard Jul 5 '12 at 21:51
up vote 2 down vote

I've always presumed this was borrowed from baseball, where a grand slam is a bases-loaded home run, which scores four runs.

There are four major championships; hence, a grand slam. If there were three or five major championships, I don't think the term would be used.

As for why slam is used in the baseball term, I suppose it's because the batter has slammed the ball over the fence.

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You slammed a shot... Nice answer. +1. – Noah Jul 5 '12 at 10:48
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According to the Online Etymology Dictionary the use of Grand Slam for "complete success" predates the baseball usage by about 15 years; the derivation is therefore more likely to be the other way round. – Brian Hooper Jul 5 '12 at 11:19
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@PeterShor, perhaps. I think the "fourness" is a red herring, myself, and the name became used for either an outstanding achievement, or the maximum possible achievement (as in baseball, bridge or rugby union). Rugby union's Grand Slam, with the advent of Italy, now requires five wins. – Brian Hooper Jul 5 '12 at 12:25
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@Brian: I entirely agree. Compare hat-trick which can be precisely dated to a 19th century cricket match, when a bowler took three wickets with three balls. The term was transferred by journalists to football, (three goals in a match), and I have heard an inexperienced cricket commentator say "that's a hat-trick - if you'll excuse a footballing term". – TimLymington Jul 5 '12 at 13:35
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@BrianHooper: I had forgotten about bridge! Nice piece of work; your answer has trumped mine, and I've upvoted yours. (I'll leave my answer here, though, I think it's become too ingrained overall in the conversation to drastically change it, or remove it.) One last comment: I think that many in the U.S. might find it awkward to use "Grand Slam" to refer to something that was not in a group of four – even if such apprehension is rooted in an etymological fallacy – but that's just a hunch on my part. – J.R. Jul 5 '12 at 14:29
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up vote 1 down vote

For the usage of "slam" in cards, OED says "of obscure origin".

Does "grand slam" have some French origin, to distinguish from a "petit slam"? Now called a "small slam" of course.

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In French, the expression for card is Grand Chelem and is also the term used for the 4 major tennis tournaments. So slam definitely have a card origin. According to atilf.atilf.fr/tlf.htm Chelem is coming from the english slam. – Xavier T. Jul 5 '12 at 16:01

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