goalkeeper

American  

[gohl-kee-per] / ˈgoʊlˌki pər /

noun

1. (in ice hockey, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, etc.) a player whose chief duty is to prevent the ball or puck from crossing or entering the goal.

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goalkeeper British  

/ ˈɡəʊlˌkiːpə /

noun

1. sport a player in the goal whose duty is to prevent the ball, puck, etc, from entering or crossing it

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Usage

What does goalkeeper mean? In sports like soccer (football) and hockey, the goalkeeper is the player positioned in front of the goal whose job is to prevent the ball or puck from entering it (or crossing the goal line).Goalkeeper can be used to refer to the position or the player. A goalkeeper might say they play goalkeeper. A common informal word for goalkeeper is goalie. In some sports, a goalkeeper is called a goaltender. In soccer, the goalkeeper is sometimes called the keeper.Example: When I played soccer, I was the goalkeeper, and I was pretty good, especially because I was quick and had long arms for my age.

Other Word Forms

• goalkeeping noun

Etymology

Origin of goalkeeper

First recorded in 1650–60; goal + keeper

Example Sentences

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said "it bothers me that Vinicius' celebration is being used against him" and it did not "justify a suspected act of racism".

From BBC

Norwegian striker Alexander Sorloth was the star of the show with a hat-trick, including the opener midway through the first half which came from a long kick downfield by goalkeeper Jan Oblak.

From Barron's

However, the Spaniards took the lead when goalkeeper Jan Oblak went route one from the back, finding Sorloth in a good position.

From Barron's

And Hugo Lloris, who pitched the shutout in goal, has played more World Cup games than any other goalkeeper in history.

From Los Angeles Times

"The save he made from Michael, the way he dealt with corner kicks. The pressure we had. For me, their goalkeeper was the best player."

From BBC