Meanings
plural dimebacks · alternative dime back
- American footballA sixth defensive back (in addition to two cornerbacks, two safeties and a nickelback) who is deployed for additional pass coverage.
Origin
Blend of dime + cornerback. Modelled on quarterback: both the quarter (“25 cents”) and the dime (“10 cents”) are American coins, though quarterback was not named for the coin. Coined due to the dimeback being one additional defensive back more than the nickelback, since the 10-cent dime is more than the 5-cent nickel. See more at nickelback.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
dimeback. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dimeback
“dimeback.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dimeback. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “dimeback,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dimeback.
Source: dimeback on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.