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

Compare meaning

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

• Rugby vs. soccer

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 allegedly used his illicit wealth to fulfill his dreams of playing professional soccer, buying himself a spot in the starting lineup for teams he bankrolled.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026

Two soccer matches between those countries will apparently take place over the next three weeks, but under increasingly bizarre circumstances.

From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026

He said he passes the days by watching soccer on TV, though he has been unable to play since suffering a knee injury prior to his capture.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026

Jorge Mas, the billionaire co-owner of the Inter Miami soccer club and a close friend of Rubio, says Trump once asked him what it would cost to rebuild the island.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026

We stopped and ran over to greet him, and he asked me, “Who is soccer captain?”

From "Facing the Lion" by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton and Herman Viola