goalie
UK: ˈɡəʊli | US: ˈɡoʊli
n. a player in sports such as soccer or hockey whose role is to prevent the opposing team from scoring by defending the goal
The word "goalie" is a colloquial shortening of "goalkeeper," formed by combining "goal" (from Middle English "gol," meaning a boundary or target) with the diminutive suffix "-ie," commonly used in English to denote familiarity or association (e.g., "bookie," "foodie"). The term emerged in the late 19th century, reflecting the informal yet functional nature of sports slang. The morpheme "goal" retains its original spelling, while "-ie" simplifies the longer "-keeper" for ease of use.
The goalie made an incredible save during the penalty shootout.
She has trained for years to become a professional goalie.
The team’s success largely depends on the goalie’s performance.
He dove to the left, but the goalie blocked his shot effortlessly.
A good goalie must have quick reflexes and sharp focus.