Added 2 October 2026
goal
/ɡəʊl/ noun
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about goal at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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A result that one is attempting to achieve.
My lifelong goal is to get into a Hollywood movie.
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To do with sports In many sports, an area into which the players attempt to put an object.
The racers are approaching the goal.
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In many sports, an area into which the players attempt to put an object.
The racers are approaching the goal.
verb
- To score a goal.
Origin
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”).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)