Linebacker

How to spell linebacker

10 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce linebacker

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does linebacker mean?

1. nounIn American and Canadian football, a defensive player who lines up just behind the defensive line to stop runs and cover passes.

Linebacker in a sentence

• The linebacker read the play and tackled the running back at the line.

• Scouts praised the rookie linebacker for his speed and tackling ability.

Where does linebacker come from?

Language of origin: Germanic

This is a modern American compound word from the world of gridiron football, built transparently from three ordinary English elements. The first part, 'line', traces back through Old French 'ligne' to the Latin 'linea', meaning a string or cord made of flax, and by extension a straight row; in football it names the line of scrimmage where the two teams face off. The second part, 'back', is a native Old English word, 'baec', meaning the rear of the body or a position behind something. Joined together, 'linebacker' literally describes a defensive player who lines up just back of the defensive line, and the term arose in the early twentieth century as American football tactics were formalised. Because every piece is a plain English root, the spelling holds no hidden traps beyond remembering that it is written as one solid word with no hyphen.

How the word is built

• line (a row or defensive position)
• back (behind)
• -er (agent noun suffix)