football
noun
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The game of US football evolved in the 19th century as a combination of rugby and soccer. The first intercollegiate match was played in 1869 between Princeton University and Rutgers College. In 1873, the first collegiate rules were standardized and the Ivy League was formed. Collegiate football grew into one of the most popular American sports. Professional football began in the 1890s, but did not become a major sport until after World War II. The National Football League (NFL) was formed (from an earlier association) in 1922; in 1966 it subsumed the rival American Football League (created in 1959). The NFL is now divided into an American and a National conference; the conference winners compete for the Super Bowl championship. A Football Hall of Fame is located in Canton, Ohio.
Examples of football in a Sentence
Tom Williams, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2025
His teammates also praise his football IQ and reaction skills.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2025
At the time, Sharpe was part of CBS’ football pregame show but temporarily stepped aside.
—Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2025
That 2019/20 campaign was interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, but though the record books indicate a long period without football between March and June 2020, Liverpool all but had its name on the trophy even before the season was interrupted and resumed with games behind closed doors.
—James Nalton, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Football.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/football. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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football
noun
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