touchdown
touchdown Lexical Profile
touchdown Game Scores & Validity
• noun
North American A six-point score in American and Canadian football achieved by carrying or taking possession of the ball across the opponent's goal line into the end zone.
"The quarterback threw a forty-yard pass to the wide receiver for the game-winning touchdown."
The moment at which an aircraft, spacecraft, or tornado makes contact with the ground or another landing surface.
"The passengers applauded as the pilot executed a smooth touchdown despite the heavy crosswinds."
Word Nuance & Usage
The closed compound noun "touchdown" refers to the football score or the landing of an aircraft, whereas the two-word phrasal verb "touch down" is used for the action of landing.
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in the mid-19th century as a compound of the verb phrase "touch down," originally referring to the rugby and early American football rule requiring a player to physically press the ball to the ground behind the goal line.