Where does “goalkeeper” come from?
Goalkeeper comes from English goal, attested in Middle English as gol and Old English as gāl, of unknown origin.
goalkeeper (English): a designated player that attempts to prevent the...
Definitions
- a designated player that attempts to prevent the...
Ancestry of “goalkeeper”, step by step
goalkeeper traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English goal
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | goal | A result that one is attempting to achieve; In... |
| 2 | Middle English | gol | boundary, limit |
| 3 | Old English | gāl | obstacle, barrier, marker; wanton; wicked; bad;... |
| 4 | Basque | gailu | device |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | gailō | a gap; crevice; chasm; ravine |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰēy- | to yawn, gape; to go |