Dictionary / goal
goal
- noun
- verb
- from Old English
A result that one is attempting to achieve.
1 All current definitions
Every sense of “goal” in current use, as recorded by Wiktionary. Older and obsolete senses are kept separately.
noun
- A result that one is attempting to achieve.
My lifelong goal is to get into a Hollywood movie.
- To do with sportsIn many sports, an area into which the players attempt to put an object.
The racers are approaching the goal.
- To do with sportsThe act of placing the object into the goal.
miss a goal
- To do with sportsA point scored in a game as a result of placing the object into the goal.
score a goal
- To do with grammarA noun or noun phrase that receives the action of a verb.
- To do with grammarThe subject of a passive verb or the direct object of an active verb.
Cross-check: WordNet senses (4)
- nounthe state of affairs that a plan is intended to achieve and that (when achieved) terminates behavior intended to achieve it — also: end
- nounthe place designated as the end (as of a race or journey) — also: finish, destination
- noungame equipment consisting of the place toward which players of a game try to advance a ball or puck in order to score points
- nouna successful attempt at scoring
Synonyms: ambition, object of desire, objective, purpose, aspiration, aim, end, terminus ad quem, goal, intention, object, success
2 History of the word
The etymology, the path the word travelled, and the words built from it.
The word’s journey, newest to oldest:
- English (today)goal
- Middle Englishgol “boundary, limit”
- Old English*gāl “obstacle, barrier, marker”
- Proto-West Germanic*gailu
- Proto-Germanic*gailō “crevice, gap”
From Middle English gol (“boundary, limit”), from Old English *gāl (“obstacle, barrier, marker”), from Proto-West Germanic *gailu, from Proto-Germanic *gailō (“crevice, gap”); compare the Old English's derivatives Old English gǣlan (“to hinder, delay”), and hyġegǣls (“hesitating, slow, sluggish”), hyġegǣlsa (“slow one, sluggish one”).
Possibly cognate with Lithuanian gãlas (“end”), Latvian gals (“end”), Old Prussian gallan (“death”), Albanian ngalem (“to be limping, lame, paralyzed”), ngel (“to remain, linger, hesitate, get stuck”).
Derivatives — words built from “goal”
Phrases & compounds
Related terms
Want to go deeper? See also “goal” on Etymonline ↗
3 Original language
Where “goal” came from before it was English.
4 Original meaning
What the word meant at the oldest point the record reaches.
Historical meaning — Webster’s 1913
A historical record, labelled as such: some of these senses are dated or have since shifted.
goal n. [F. gaule pole, Prov. F. waule, of German origin; cf. Fries. walu staff, stick, rod, Goth. walus, Icel. v a round stick; prob. akin to E. wale.]
- The mark set to bound a race, and to or around which the constestants run, or from which they start to return to it again; the place at which a race or a journey is to end.
- The final purpose or aim; the end to which a design tends, or which a person aims to reach or attain.
- A base, station, or bound used in various games as the point or object which a team must reach in order to score points; in certain games, the point which the ball or puck must pass in order for points to be scored. In football, it is a line between two posts across which the ball must pass in order to score points; in soccer or ice hockey, it is a net at each end of the soccer field into which the soccer ball or hocjey puck must be propelled; in basketball, it is the basket{7} suspended from the backboard, through which the basketball must pass.
5 Use it with confidence
Model sentences from the sources, matched to the meaning they show. Read each one aloud, then make your own in the game.
nounMeaning: A result that one is attempting to achieve.
My lifelong goal is to get into a Hollywood movie.
His goal is to become a YouTuber.
nounMeaning: In many sports, an area into which the players attempt to put an object.
The racers are approaching the goal.
fans behind the goal
nounMeaning: The act of placing the object into the goal.
miss a goal
concede a goal
nounMeaning: A point scored in a game as a result of placing the object into the goal.
score a goal
The former Forest man, who passed a late fitness test, appeared to use Guy Moussi for leverage before nodding in David Fox's free-kick at the far post - his 22nd goal of the season.2011 April 15, Saj Chowdhury, “Norwich 2-1 Nott'm Forest”, in BBC Sport:
nounMeaning: a successful attempt at scoring
the winning goal came with less than a minute left to play
Three steps to owning it
- Pick one meaning above and read its model sentence out loud.
- Say who or what the word is about in your own life, then build a sentence around that.
- Check it against the definition: would a careful reader understand exactly that meaning?
6 The mastery game
Play it here, or print it and do it with pen and paper. At the end you will know the meanings, history, origin and original meaning — and you will have used the word yourself.
Say it, then spell it
goal
/ɡəʊl/
Say the word out loud three times, slowly. Notice the stressed syllable. When you are ready, hide it and spell it from memory.
Activate Words · Word-mastery worksheet · Name: ______________________ Date: __________
goal
/ɡəʊl/ · noun, verb
Step 1 — Say it and write it
Say “goal” out loud three times. Then cover the word and write it three times from memory.
Step 2 — Know every meaning
Read each definition. Then write it again in your own words.
Step 3 — Which meaning is it?
“My lifelong goal is to get into a Hollywood movie.”
Circle the meaning used.
“The racers are approaching the goal.”
Circle the meaning used.
“miss a goal”
Circle the meaning used.
Step 4 — History and origin
Write the word’s journey back in time (each language and form):
Write three words built from “goal” and what each means:
Step 5 — Original meaning
The earliest traceable form is Proto-Germanic *gailō. What did it mean?
How does that original meaning connect to the meanings today?
Step 6 — Use it yourself
☐ I can explain its meanings ☐ I know its history ☐ I know its original language ☐ I know its original meaning ☐ I can use it confidently
Answer key — goal
Which meaning, sentence 1: C. A result that one is attempting to achieve.
Which meaning, sentence 2: B. In many sports, an area into which the players attempt to put an object.
Which meaning, sentence 3: A. The act of placing the object into the goal.
Origin: A. Old English (Old English *gāl)
Journey: English goal ← Middle English gol ← Old English *gāl ← Proto-West Germanic *gailu ← Proto-Germanic *gailō
Some derivatives: antigoal, goalazo, goalball, goalbound, goalbox, goal-directed, goaler, goalfest
Original meaning: Proto-Germanic *gailō — “crevice, gap”
Etymology: From Middle English gol (“boundary, limit”), from Old English *gāl (“obstacle, barrier, marker”), from Proto-West Germanic *gailu, from Proto-Germanic *gailō (“crevice, gap”); compare the Old English's derivatives Old English gǣlan (“to hinder, delay”), and hyġegǣls (“hesitating, slow, sluggish”), hyġegǣlsa (“slow one, sluggish one”).
Sources: Wiktionary “goal” (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/goal#English), CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org; Princeton WordNet 3.0; Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913, public domain) via GCIDE. Worksheet from https://activatewords.com/w/goal