'football' originates from Middle English, specifically the words 'foteballe' or 'fotebal', where 'foot' meant 'the lower extremity of the leg' and 'ball' meant 'a spherical object used in games'.

'foteballe' transformed into the modern English word 'football' by the 15th century, as the game and its terminology became more standardized.

Initially, it meant 'a ball game played on foot', distinguishing it from games played on horseback, but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'a specific team sport played with a ball, such as soccer or American football'.