soccer

American  

[sok-er] / ˈsɒk ər /

British, association football

noun

1. a form of football played between two teams of 11 players, in which the ball may be advanced by kicking or by bouncing it off any part of the body but the arms and hands, except in the case of the goalkeepers, who may use their hands to catch, carry, throw, or stop the ball.

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soccer British  

/ ˈsɒkə /

noun

1. Also called: Association Football.

   1. a game in which two teams of eleven players try to kick or head a ball into their opponent's goal, only the goalkeeper on either side being allowed to touch the ball with his hands and arms except in the case of throw-ins

   2. ( as modifier )

      a soccer player

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Etymology

Origin of soccer

First recorded in 1890–95; (As)soc(iation football) + -er ⁷

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Compare meaning

How does soccer compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Rugby vs. soccer

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Explanation

Soccer is a sport that's played with a round black and white ball that players pass to each other using their feet. To win a soccer match, your side has to kick the ball into the goal more times than your rivals do. Go team! In most parts of the world, soccer is known as football, which makes sense since players (except the goalie) can't touch the ball with their hands — they mainly control and move it with their feet. In the U.S., however, football is a completely different sport, one that's known as American football everywhere else,. Soccer comes from socca, slang for Assoc., which is a shortened version of Association football.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

soccer

He and fellow Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly also sold a small stake in English soccer club Chelsea FC last month for about $1.27 billion, the Financial Times reported.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

Leiters compared working in the office to attending a live concert or soccer match.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

Erling is doing things no one has ever done on the field before, but he’s also easy for a soccer novice to understand.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026

Though instead of coaching the championship-winning Bears, he helps coach a little league soccer team — but his competitive spirit remains the same.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026

“He took away your soccer season, and the price turns out to be one dino park.”

From "Linked" by Gordon Korman

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