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.

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

In March, the Rams traded the No. 29 pick to the Kansas City Chiefs in a package for All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 25, 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

Newly signed cornerback Trent McDuffie grew up hoping he could play for Sean McVay and the Rams.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2026

Midway in the first quarter, when he had seen the Cooper cornerback go into motion before the play started, he knew they were going to be in man-to-man.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger

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