Plural of goalkeeper; the official formal term for players who defend the goal in sports like soccer, hockey, and lacrosse.
Compound of 'goal' and 'keeper' (one who keeps or guards). The 'keeper' metaphor evokes the idea of someone protecting or maintaining something valuable, like a 'gatekeeper.'
The term 'goalkeeper' beautifully extends the medieval concept of a 'gatekeeper'—both guard passages against intrusion, and English borrowed this metaphor to describe the sport's most defensive position.
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