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soccer

soccer

524 1.0
A team game where two teams of eleven try to score by kicking a ball into the other team's net
  • noun
  • /ˈsɑːkər/
  • US
translation icon : fútbol
  • During the summer, we often attend soccer matches at the local stadium.
  • play soccer
  • a soccer team
  • a soccer player

He said you didn't play soccer, but you learn from those who do.

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Examples

  • Don Pietro even finds time to play soccer with his young flock.

    Academic text (2011)
  • The first time it happened, I was in seventh grade, warming up for a soccer tournament.

    Academic text (2011)
  • I mean, he played soccer in college.

  • Guys, I said no playing soccer in the house.

  • Oh, I got to go pick up my kids from soccer.

  • I used to play soccer.

  • An away goal in soccer counts more than a home goal.

  • They come to watch soccer games.

  • They have a little girl, and she loves soccer.

  • Apparently, parents of participating children feel soccer participation is very important in their children's lives.

    Academic text (1999)

Synonyms

1.4

A team sport where two teams of eleven kick a ball into the other team's goal

is the more common informal name used in some countries

Compounds

23 1.1

A person who plays soccer for a team or for fun

16 1.0

A round inflated object that players kick with their feet to play soccer

14 1.0

An area of grass or artificial grass marked for playing soccer with goalposts

How Physical

rugby
55 2.7
lacrosse
65 5.9
soccer
  • US
524 1.0
tennis
436 1.0
golf
930 1.0

Surface Forms

soccer singular
soccers plural

Morphology

soccer = association + football (opaque) = assoc + er

Formed from a clipped colloquial form of 'association' plus the slangative '-er' (assoc → assoc-er → soccer); this derivation and its link to the sport is not transparent to typical learners.

Etymology

Soccer comes from the word association, which means 'joining together'. At British schools they shortened association to assoc. and added a playful -er, turning it into soccer, and that is why the name refers to association football, the game played mostly with the feet.