noun
touchdown
TUHCH-down
noun
1
In American football, a scoring play worth six points, made by getting the ball into the opponent's end zone.
"The quarterback threw a long pass for the winning touchdown."
2
The moment an aircraft or spacecraft first makes contact with the ground while landing.
"The pilot radioed confirmation of a smooth touchdown."
"Touchdown on the lunar surface was scheduled for early morning."
How to Use Touchdown
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a scoring play in football, or the moment a plane or spacecraft lands.
Common pairings
score a touchdown
safe touchdown
touchdown pass
Word Forms
touchdowns plural
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The quarterback threw a long pass for the winning _____.
Etymology
A compound of touch and down, originally describing the act of touching the ball down in the goal area.