shot put

This term refers specifically to the sport or the act of throwing the heavy metal ball. It is distinct from other throwing events like the javelin or discus due to the "putting" motion, where the ball is pushed from the shoulder rather than thrown in a wide arc.

In a sporting context, the term is used both to describe the event itself and the physical object being thrown. While the object is a ball, it is almost never referred to as a "shot put ball" in professional athletics, but simply as the "shot."