goalie

American  

[goh-lee] / ˈgoʊ li /

noun

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.

Etymology

Origin of goalie

First recorded in 1920–25; goal + -ie

Example Sentences

“I get that a lot that I’m very short for a goalie,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times

I once overheard Jonah telling his ex-girlfriend, Cassie, that the best part of playing goalie in soccer was that he didn’t have to run as much as everyone else.

From Literature

Samuel Helenius thought he had doubled the lead less than two minutes later but the goal was waved off by goalie interference.

From Los Angeles Times

The partially toothless Jack Hughes, left alone on the left wing, beat Canadian goalie Jordan Binnington cleanly 1:41 into the extra period to set off a wild celebration for the Americans.

From Los Angeles Times

He has been named the NHL’s best goalie in three of the past six seasons for the Winnipeg Jets.

From The Wall Street Journal