GK
Abbreviation with 3 meanings
| Stands for | Goalkeeper |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 3 |
| Categories | Sports, Writing & Everyday, Business & Finance |
| Also written | Gk. |
GK has three meanings. The most common are Goalkeeper (soccer (Association football)) and Greek (grammar and dictionary); it can also stand for Gōdō kaisha (limited liability company).
Meanings of GK at a glance
| # | GK stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Goalkeeper | Sports › Soccer (Association Football) |
| 2 | Greek | Writing & Everyday › Grammar and Dictionary |
| 3 | Gōdō kaisha (limited liability company) | Business & Finance › Company Type |
1. Goalkeeper
Sports · Soccer (Association Football) Abbreviations
Player who defends the goal and is the only one allowed to handle the ball, and only inside his or her own penalty area. Goalkeepers wear a different color from teammates and opponents and organize the defense on set pieces.
Example: Lineup: GK Alisson; RB Alexander-Arnold, CB van Dijk, CB Konate, LB Robertson.
Since the 1992 back-pass rule, goalkeepers may not pick up a deliberate kick from a teammate. From 2025, holding the ball longer than eight seconds gives the opponents a corner kick, replacing the old six-second indirect free kick. Also called "keeper" or "goalie"; GK is standard in lineup graphics and fantasy games.
2. Greek (Gk.)
Writing & Everyday · Grammar and Dictionary Abbreviations
Labels Greek, usually Ancient Greek, as the source language of a word in etymologies and glossaries. Greek roots dominate scientific, medical and philosophical vocabulary.
Example: telephone (n.) from Gk. tēle "far" + phōnē "voice, sound"
Many Greek words entered English through Latin, so etymologies may read "via Lat. from Gk." Common Greek elements include bio-, geo-, -logy, -phobia and tele-. Variant labels include Gr. and Grk., and specialized dictionaries mark Modern Greek separately.
3. Gōdō kaisha (limited liability company)
Business & Finance · Company Type Abbreviations
Japanese company form introduced in 2006 and modeled on the American LLC, with limited liability for members, flexible internal rules and lower setup costs than a kabushiki kaisha. It is popular for small businesses and for the Japanese subsidiaries of foreign companies.
Example: Amazon Japan G.K. and Google Japan G.K. both operate as gōdō kaisha rather than kabushiki kaisha.
Written 合同会社 in Japanese and abbreviated G.K. A GK cannot list its shares on a stock exchange, so a company planning an IPO must convert into a KK first. The form has grown quickly since 2006 because registration fees are lower and no public financial statements are required.
Related abbreviations
More soccer (Association football) abbreviations
- FT – Full-time
- GA – Goals against
- GD – Goal difference
- GF – Goals for
- HT – Half-time
- KO – Kick-off
- LB – Left back
- LM – Left midfielder
See all 46 soccer (Association football) abbreviations →