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

Examples of soccer in a Sentence

Both of their children play soccer.

Recent Examples on the Web

Many Chinese soccer fans had hoped that Li, once the pride of Chinese soccer, could lead the men’s national soccer team into the World Cup when he was appointed the head coach in January 2020. —Nectar Gan, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024

The club does appear to have lost its crown as soccer’s biggest revenue club, with Real Madrid having surpassed more than $1 billion in revenue in its last season, according to financial information compiled by Swiss Ramble, a soccer finances researcher. —Brendan Coffey, Sportico.com, 13 Dec. 2024

Saudi Arabia's investment in sports continues to rise, with the kingdom already a key player in global soccer, backing initiatives like the 2025 Club World Cup and attracting high-profile players to its domestic leagues. —Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024

Henry Flynn is a freelance journalist interested in Spanish language, culture and soccer. —Henry Flynn, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024

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

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.