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
Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 29 May 2026
King Philip found its next football coach, and the Warriors didn’t have to look far for a successor for Brian Lee.
—Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 29 May 2026
Search for a director of football Sources with knowledge of the situation — who, like all those cited in this piece, spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect relationships — say Nuno will have a big say in the appointment of a director of football.
—Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 28 May 2026
His near-photographic memory and love of sports allowed him at the age of 10 to start memorizing all the winners of the Heisman Trophy – awarded annually to the top player in college football – that date back to 1935.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 28 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Football.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/football. Accessed 29 May. 2026.
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football
noun
