penalty area: Meaning and Definition of

pen'alty ar"ea

Pronunciation: [key]
— Soccer. Soccer.
  1. the area, 44 yd. (40 m) wide and 18 yd. (16 m) deep, centered on the goal line and extending in front of the goal, where a foul by a defensive player results in a penalty kick for the offensive team.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.