backboard

noun

back·​board ˈbak-ˌbȯrd 

1

: a board placed at or serving as the back of something

especially : a rounded or rectangular board behind the basket on a basketball court which serves to keep missed shots from going out-of-bounds and from which the ball can be made to rebound into the basket

2

: a stiff board on which an injured person and especially one with neck or spinal injuries is placed and immobilized in order to prevent further injury during transport

Examples of backboard in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

UConn had a 46-32 advantage on the backboard and ran away with 18 points in transition. —Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 25 Feb. 2024

Keep said he was suspended at Moscow (Idaho) High School after breaking a backboard and not initially owning up to it. —Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 June 2024

Pacers backup center Isaiah Jackson saved the day, pasting DiVincenzo’s attempt at a buzzer-beating layup on the backboard as time expired. —Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 11 May 2024

The first time, the school had a spare backboard in storage that could replace it. —Matt Weyrich, Baltimore Sun, 6 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1761, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

backboard

noun

back·​board ˈbak-ˌbōrd 

-ˌbȯrd

: a board placed at the back or serving as a back

especially : a rounded or rectangular board behind the basket on a basketball court

Medical Definition

backboard

noun

back·​board -ˌbȯrd 

: a stiff board on which an injured person and especially one with neck or spinal injuries is placed and immobilized in order to prevent further injury during transport