backcourt

noun

back·​court ˈbak-ˈkȯrt How to pronounce backcourt (audio)
1
: the area near or nearest the back boundary lines or back wall of the playing area in a net or court game
2
a
: a basketball team's defensive half of the court
b
: the positions of the guards on a basketball team
also : the guards themselves
a team with a strong backcourt

Examples of backcourt in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But during a 136-129 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday reinforced that even one of the best offensive backcourts in the league can‘t totally compensate for a championship-winning defense. — Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026 Between that difficult dynamic, the questionable backcourt of Davion Mitchell and Klay Thompson and a host of other problems that have already been revealed, missing the Play-In together is legitimately in play. — Dan Woike, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2026 The Horned Frogs also added more backcourt depth with Bella Hines (LSU), Avery Hjelmstad (Utah) and Fort Worth native Camille Williams (Miami), a Boswell alum. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Oct. 2026 The Timberwolves, led by the dynamic backcourt pairing of Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball, are expected to feature one of the highest-scoring offenses in the NBA this season. — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for backcourt

Word History

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of backcourt was in 1884

Rhymes for backcourt

See All Rhymes for backcourt

Browse Nearby Words

backcountry
backcourt
backcourtman
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Cite this Entry

“Backcourt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backcourt. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

backcourt

noun
back·​court -ˈkō(ə)rt How to pronounce backcourt (audio)
-ˈkȯ(ə)rt
1
: a basketball team's defensive half of the court
2
: the positions of the guards on a basketball team
also : the guards themselves
a team with a strong backcourt
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