linesman

noun

lines·​man ˈlīnz-mən 

1

: lineman sense 1

2

: an official who assists a referee (as in football, tennis, or hockey) especially in determining if a ball, puck, or player is out-of-bounds or offside

Examples of linesman in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

However, a player from each team had faced off, the linesman dropped the puck, it then got deflected by Abbotsford and skittered back into the goal. —Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 14 June 2025

Ehlers returned to the Jets lineup two games later only to back over linesman James Tobias in Chicago, aggravating his previous injury. —Murat Ates, New York Times, 2 May 2025

There was an unplanned timeout early in the second period when linesman Bryan Panich had to be helped from the ice after an inadvertent collision with a Golden Knights player near the blue line. —Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 21 Apr. 2025

Shaun Hudson, the other linesman, had different ideas. —Beren Cross, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing linesman

• head linesman

Kids Definition

linesman

noun

lines·​man ˈlīnz-mən 

: an official who assists a referee in a game (as football or hockey)