soccer

noun

soc·​cer ˈsä-kər 

: a game played on a field between two teams of 11 players each with the object to propel a round ball into the opponent's goal by kicking or by hitting it with any part of the body except the hands and arms

called also association football

Examples of soccer in a Sentence

Both of their children play soccer.

Recent Examples on the Web

Prince William is a loyal soccer follower and has been known to interrupt his children's school breaks to comment on the biggest news in the game. —Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 10 June 2024

But two other pieces to the soccer puzzle required Stoney’s evaluation coming out of the match. —Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 June 2024

Before that, in 2021, RedBird bought an 11% stake in Fenway Sports Group, the holding company that owns the Boston Red Sox, English soccer team Liverpool FC, and the regional sports channel New England Sports Network. —Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 8 June 2024

After six years of planning, the European soccer championship — Euro 2024 — is just a week away. —Rory Smith, New York Times, 7 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

by shortening & alteration from association football

First Known Use

1885, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing soccer

• soccer mom
• table soccer

Kids Definition

soccer

noun

soc·​cer ˈsäk-ər 

: a football game with 11 players on a side in which a round ball is advanced by kicking it or by hitting it with any part of the body except the hands and arms

Etymology

by shortening and alteration of association football

Word Origin

Soccer is the world's most popular sport. In most countries, however, its name is not soccer but football. In England, where the modern game started, it is usually called either football or association football. The latter name comes from the fact that the rules of the game were standardized when the Football Association was founded in England in 1863. The word soccer comes from the last three letters of the abbreviation assoc., which stands for "association." Although the word soccer was first used in England, the only countries where it is now the usual name for the sport are the U.S. and Canada.