Main Entry: ¹safe·ty

Pronunciation: \ˈsāf-tē\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural safeties

Etymology: Middle English saufte, from Anglo-French salveté, saufté, from salf safe

Date: 14th century

1 : the condition of being safe from undergoing or causing hurt, injury, or loss
2 : a device (as on a weapon or a machine) designed to prevent inadvertent or hazardous operation
3 a (1) : a situation in football in which a member of the offensive team is tackled behind its own goal line that counts two points for the defensive team — compare touchback (2) : a member of a defensive backfield in football who occupies the deepest position in order to receive a kick, defend against a forward pass, or stop a ballcarrier b : a billiard shot made with no attempt to score or so as to leave the balls in an unfavorable position for the opponent c : base hit