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
Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 28 May 2025
Clad in bright football jerseys, thousands of fans joyously march towards the theatre of dreams, historic Old Trafford, to watch Manchester United take on West Ham.
—Jennifer Lotito, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
The Spurs beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 101-98 to open the Western Conference finals.
2014 — The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater becomes the only school in NCAA history to win championships in football, men’s basketball and baseball in the same school year.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2025
As part of the process, at least one of its divisions, its football representation business, will be moved under a new start-up run by longtime leader Patrick Whitesell.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for football
Cite this Entry
“Football.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/football. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.
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football
noun
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