penalty kick

American  

[pen-l-tee kik] / ˈpɛn l ti ˌkɪk /

noun

Soccer.

penalty kicks plural

1. a free kick awarded for an infraction committed by a defensive player in the penalty area and taken by the offensive player who has been fouled from a point 12 yards (11 meters) directly in front of the goal. PK

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penalty kick British  

noun

1. soccer a free kick at the goal from a point ( penalty spot ) within the penalty area and 12 yards (about 11 m) from the goal, with only the goalkeeper allowed to defend it: awarded to the attacking team after a foul within the penalty area by a member of the defending team

2. rugby Union a kick awarded after a serious foul that can be aimed straight at the goal to score three points

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• penalty kicks
  plural

Etymology

Origin of penalty kick

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

penalty kick

Benn described their meeting as "such an honour" and he even got a chance to take a penalty kick against his sporting hero.

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026

Plus, Bernie Sanders encourages Graham Platner to exit the Maine Senate race, and WSJ’s game shows whether you can save a penalty kick.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

World Cup penalty kick data is for matches from 2002 through June 18, 2026.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026

Mbappé scored the only goal of Saturday’s round-of-16 game on a penalty kick in the 70th minute.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026

A penalty kick is like a free throw in basketball, only better, because the coach picks the player who takes it.

From "Tangerine" by Edward Bloor