backcourt

noun

back·​court ˈbak-ˈkȯrt 

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

Oklahoma's super backcourt tandem of Nijel Pack and Xzavier Brown delivered the goods with 27 points in the second half and overtime. —Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 9 Mar. 2026

The team applied early pressure on defense and forced the ball out of Candler’s hands in the backcourt, leading to multiple turnovers for Little Elm. —Ishmael Johnson, Dallas Morning News, 6 Mar. 2026

Most noticeably, his 3-point shooting accuracy has risen above 37% in Chicago, a crucial improvement to establish his credibility as a true backcourt threat. —Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026

That means the backcourt consisted of Collin Gillespie and Jalen Green. —Stan Son, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for backcourt

• abort
• airport
• alport
• athwart
• carport
• comport
• consort
• deport
• distort
• escort
• exhort
• extort

Kids Definition

backcourt

noun

back·​court -ˈkō(ə)rt 

-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