backfields
|back-fields|
/ˈbækfiːldz/
(backfield)
area behind the front line
Etymology
'backfield' originates from Modern English as a compound of 'back' and 'field', where 'back' meant 'rear' and 'field' meant 'open land' or 'area of land'.
'back' comes from Old English 'bæc' meaning 'rear', and 'field' comes from Old English 'feld' meaning 'open land'; the compound 'backfield' developed in English usage (attested in sports contexts in the late 19th to early 20th century) and produced the plural form 'backfields'.
Initially the components referred to 'the rear part of open land', but over time the compound specialized, especially in sport, to mean the area behind the line of scrimmage in American football; it still can mean the rear fields of a property in non-sport contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural of 'backfield': in American football, the area behind the line of scrimmage occupied by the backfield players (e.g., running backs, fullback, quarterback when positioned deep).
The coaches inspected the backfields after practice to evaluate the running backs' footwork.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/26 01:34