cornerback

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noun

Any of the defensive players who are in position on each side farthest laterally from the ball and whose principal responsibility is to defend against passes.

“The cornerback tipped the ball away from the receiver.”

Less commonScrabble 20
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Meanings

nouncornerback (plural cornerbacks)

plural cornerbacks

  1. Gaelic football; hurling; Gaelic football; hurlingAmerican footballAny of the defensive players who are in position on each side farthest laterally from the ball and whose principal responsibility is to defend against passes.

    The cornerback tipped the ball away from the receiver.

Origin

From corner + back.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan defensor lateral
  • defensor lateraldefensive player in certain sports
Finnish kulmapuolustaja
  • kulmapuolustajadefensive player in certain sports
German Cornerback
  • Cornerbackdefensive player in certain sports
Irish lánchúlaí, lántaca
  • lánchúlaídefensive player in certain sports
  • lántacadefensive player in certain sports
Cite this entry
APA

cornerback. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cornerback

MLA

“cornerback.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cornerback. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cornerback,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cornerback.

Source: cornerback on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.