wide receiver

American  

noun

Football.

• wide receivers
  plural

1. an offensive player positioned wide of the formation, as a split end, used primarily as a pass receiver.

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wide receiver British  

noun

1. American football a player whose function is to catch long passes from the quarterback

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• wide receivers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of wide receiver

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

wide receiver

Rams coach Sean McVay confirms Aaron Donald will play Monday against the New York Giants, but star wide receiver Puka Nacua is listed as questionable.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026

While we’re talking about pivotal moments in personal histories, nine years ago Deanté Gray was a rookie wide receiver for the Houston Texans.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026

In 2022 free agent NFL wide receiver Tyreek Hill joined the Miami Dolphins.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

Haydn Parry: It will be interesting to see how wide receiver Carnell Tate, fourth overall pick by Tennessee, adapts among the big boys.

From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026

He was tall and brown, built thin and powerful like a wide receiver.

From "Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates