goalie

American  

[goh-lee] / ˈgoʊ li /

noun

goalies plural

1. a goalkeeper.

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goalie British  

/ ˈɡəʊlɪ /

noun

1. informal short for goalkeeper

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Usage

What does goalie mean? In sports like soccer (football) and hockey, goalie is an informal name for the goalkeeper, 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). Goalie can be used to refer to the position or the player. A goalie might say they play goalie. The position is usually officially called goalkeeper or goaltender, but goalie is very commonly used, especially in youth sports. In soccer, the goalkeeper is also sometimes called the keeper. Example: When I played soccer, I was the goalie, and I was pretty good, especially because I was quick and had long arms for my age.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• goalies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of goalie

First recorded in 1920–25; goal + -ie

Explanation

In sports, the goalie is the player whose main job is to stop the ball or puck when the opposing team attempts to score a point. A soccer goalie is the only player allowed to grab the ball with her hands. Goalie is short for goalkeeper or goaltender. Soccer (or association football), hockey, water polo, and lacrosse are just some of the sports that use a goalie to intercept shots into the goal. Ice hockey and lacrosse goalies wear protective clothing and a face mask, while a soccer goalie's uniform is usually a distinctive color, different from other players.

Example Sentences

Belgium became the first team to beat Spanish goalie Unai Simón on Friday.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 10, 2026

"Nobody knew who the Cape Verde goalie was... and I don't know that they'll know who he is after the World Cup ends."

From BBC • Jun. 30, 2026

Also upset: Why Cape Verde’s hero goalie cried after incredible Spain draw.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 16, 2026

The paternal great-grandmother of goalie Matt Turner fled religious persecution in Lithuania, with his Jewish ancestors changing their family name from Turnovski to Turner when they arrived at Ellis Island.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 15, 2026

I got out on the ice and sped around a few times, even in my bulky goalie pads, and then hunkered down in the net as the guys slapped practice shots at me.

From "Tradition" by Brendan Kiely