Etymology

libero

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Today it means: A central defender to whom no forward is assigned for marking, forming the last line of defence and often initiating the offensive play. Full definition →

Italian libero
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The story

  1. Italian · borrowed fromlibero
  2. English todaylibero

From Italian libero (literally “free one”). So called because he has no direct opponent to mark and is therefore free to join in the offensive. The volleyball use is younger.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.