cornerback

American

[kawr-ner-bak] / ˈkɔr nərˌbæk /

noun

Football.

one of two defensive backs positioned in the secondary between the linebackers and safeties, responsible for covering the outside areas near the sidelines against end runs and pass plays.

cornerback British

/ ˈkɔːnəˌbæk /

noun

American football a defensive back

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of cornerback

First recorded in 1965–70; corner + back ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

How closely were you paying attention in 2019, when they traded multiple first-round picks for cornerback Jalen Ramsey to pair with Donald?

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2026

After losing in January’s NFC Championship, they did it once more when they dealt their first rounder to the Kansas City Chiefs for cornerback Trent McDuffie.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026

Most notable was Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy, who is a super talent but slipped down to the fourth round, pick 101, after missing all of last season with a torn ACL.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026

This year, the Rams swung another blockbuster when they shipped their first-round pick, No. 29 overall, to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for cornerback Trent McDuffie.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

“Are cornerback and quarterback actually two different things?”

From "Leah on the Offbeat" by Becky Albertalli

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023