goalkeeper

goalkeeper — noun

1. In sports such as football and ice hockey, the goalkeeper is the player whose ma

1.nounA2
Definition

In sports such as football and ice hockey, the goalkeeper is the player whose main job is protecting the goal and preventing the ball from entering the net. In many of these sports, only the goalkeeper may use their hands.

Example

At age twelve, Haruto became his school team's starting goalkeeper and later won a district title.

collocation: starting goalkeeper for [team]

The goalkeeper dived to her right and pushed the ball past the post.

action: dive + save the ball

Common collocations
  • play as goalkeeper
  • substitute goalkeeper
  • first-choice goalkeeper
  • goalkeeper makes a save
  • goalkeeper dives
  • opposing goalkeeper
  • backup goalkeeper
Synonyms
  • goaltender

    Standard term in ice hockey and lacrosse; rarely used in football/soccer.

  • keeper

    Informal short form, very common in British football commentary and conversation.

  • goalie

    Informal and slightly more casual than 'keeper'; common among young players and in North American English.

  • netminder

    Primarily used in ice hockey, especially in Canadian English; less common than 'goaltender'.

Antonyms
  • striker

    An attacking player whose job is to score goals — the opposite role on the field.

  • forward

    An offensive player positioned near the opponent's goal, tasked with shooting and scoring.

Grammar Patterns

the + goalkeeper + verb (action)

a + adjective + goalkeeper

Usage Note

Commonly shortened to 'keeper' or 'goalie' in everyday conversation, particularly in British English. In official match reports and formal writing, 'goalkeeper' is preferred.

Common Mistakes

The goalkeeper blew the whistle to stop the game.
The referee blew the whistle to stop the game.
A goalkeeper is a player who defends the goal; a referee is the official who controls the match.

Word family

  • goalkeeping
    nounB2
  • goaltender
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

While 'goalkeeper' is the standard term across most team sports globally, 'goaltender' dominates in ice hockey and lacrosse. 'Keeper' is an informal shortening used heavily in British football commentary ('the keeper made a fine stop'), while 'goalie' is even more casual and common among children and in North American English. 'Netminder' is the rarest of the group, appearing mostly in Canadian hockey journalism. In a formal school essay about football, 'goalkeeper' is the safest choice. In a casual chat about a hockey game, 'goalie' or 'goaltender' both sound natural depending on where you live.

goaltendergoaliekeeper ↗netminder

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • opposing goalkeeper
  • first-choice goalkeeper
  • backup goalkeeper

Etymology

English

A compound of 'goal' (the scoring area or target) and 'keeper' (someone who guards or protects something). The term first appeared in the 1860s as organized football codified the position, and later spread to hockey, handball, and other goal-based sports.