backcourtman
|back-court-man|
🇺🇸
/ˈbæk.kɔrt.mən/
🇬🇧
/ˈbæk.kɔːt.mən/
player in the backcourt
Etymology
'backcourtman' is formed in modern English by combining 'backcourt' (the rear half of a playing court) and 'man' (person). 'backcourt' itself is a compound of 'back' + 'court'.
'back' originates from Old English 'bæc' meaning 'back'; 'court' comes from Latin 'cohors' via Old French 'cort/curt' then Middle English 'court'; 'man' comes from Old English 'mann'. The compound 'backcourt' arose in sports usage in the late 19th to early 20th century, and 'backcourtman' developed as a sports-specific agent noun thereafter.
Originally it simply denoted a person located in the back part of a playing court; over time it became specialized to refer to a backcourt-position player (especially in basketball) with responsibilities like ball-handling and perimeter defense.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a player who operates in the backcourt area, especially in basketball — typically a guard or ball-handler responsible for perimeter play, ball distribution, and backcourt defense.
The coach praised the backcourtman for his quick steals and perimeter defense.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/25 20:54