soccer

British, association football

[sok-er]

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.

soccer

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of soccer¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of soccer¹

C19: from ( as ) soc. + -er

Example Sentences

When people ask her how she is—even those she doesn’t know well, like other soccer parents—Weston explains that her father is dying and that “it sucks, really, really bad.”

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In August, China held a humanoid robotics Olympics, where devices competed in soccer, kickboxing and even cleaning rooms.

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Few sights could be more dispiriting to the rest of English soccer than Liverpool cruising to a championship last spring and immediately adding half a billion dollars’ worth of talent.

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Look at American football, soccer, cricket, or other rugby teams and see how they keep winning and go on to secure the big prizes.

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I have a goal to make sure I watch soccer five times a week, and attend as many soccer matches as I can.

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