soccer

noun

soc·​cer ˈsä-kər 

: a game played on a field between two teams of 11 players each with the object to propel a round ball into the opponent's goal by kicking or by hitting it with any part of the body except the hands and arms

called also association football, football

Examples of soccer in a Sentence

Both of their children play soccer.

Recent Examples on the Web

The brand makes shoes made from authentic sports ball materials, offering options ranging from flats to heels to wedges that resemble the balls of sports like baseball, basketball, soccer and more. —Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 28 May 2026

World Cup soccer fans can register starting Thursday for the chance to attend watch parties at the official FIFA Fan Festival on City Hall Plaza in Boston. —Matt Schooley, CBS News, 28 May 2026

At 18, Jan van Hövell brought a soccer ball to the Buduburam refugee camp in Ghana during a 2004 internship with the UN Refugee Agency. —Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 28 May 2026

The vibe is lively during soccer matches, according to Yelp reviews. —Fielding Buck, Daily News, 28 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

by shortening & alteration from association football

First Known Use

1885, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing soccer

• soccer mom
• table soccer

Rhymes for soccer

• blocker
• chalker
• cocker
• docker
• hawker
• hocker
• knocker
• locker
• mocker
• ocher
• rocker
• shocker

Kids Definition

soccer

noun

soc·​cer ˈsäk-ər 

: a football game with 11 players on a side in which a round ball is advanced by kicking it or by hitting it with any part of the body except the hands and arms

Etymology

by shortening and alteration of association football

Word Origin

Soccer is the world's most popular sport. In most countries, however, its name is not soccer but football. In England, where the modern game started, it is usually called either football or association football. The latter name comes from the fact that the rules of the game were standardized when the Football Association was founded in England in 1863. The word soccer comes from the last three letters of the abbreviation assoc., which stands for "association." Although the word soccer was first used in England, the only countries where it is now the usual name for the sport are the U.S. and Canada.