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

Zay Flowers, who became the NFL's fourth highest-paid wide receiver in the off-season, made five catches for a career-high 150 yards and a touchdown in the first half alone at the Indianapolis Colts.

From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026

The Vikings have had nine starting quarterbacks since Jefferson was named offensive player of the year for 2022, and the wide receiver looked back to his best.

From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

It’s not often that somebody gets their real-estate license and becomes a Super Bowl champion within a year, but that’s exactly what Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Montorie Foster Jr. did.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026

Wes was playing defense, guarding one of the kids from the neighborhood who was playing wide receiver.

From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore