World Cup
/wɜːrld kʌp/noun★Intermediate
Sports
the most prestigious international football (soccer) tournament
Millions of fans watched the World Cup final.
A large global audience viewed the championship match.
💡
Organized by FIFA, the World Cup features national teams competing for the title of world champion.
Collocations
World Cup finalthe championship matchWorld Cup winnerthe team that wins the tournament
Synonyms
Related Phrases
World Cup finalphrase
the championship match
World Cup hostphrase
the country organizing the event
💡Pro Tip
Usage in American English
In the U.S., 'World Cup' almost always refers to soccer, not other sports.
⚡Gold Rule
Capitalization
Always capitalize 'World Cup' as it is a proper noun.
📖Word Origin
The term combines 'world' (global) and 'cup' (trophy), first used in 1930 for the inaugural tournament.
📝Usage Notes
In American English, 'World Cup' refers to the soccer tournament, while in other contexts, it may refer to other sports (e.g., cricket).
Word Breakdown
World
global
rootCup
trophy
rootEnglish Dictionary