Where does “linebacker” come from?
linebacker (English) comes from English backer, from English back, from French bac, from French baccalauréat, from Medieval Latin baccalaureatus, from Latin baccalaureus, from Latin laurea, from Latin laurus — Forms comparative adjectives.
linebacker (English): The defensive players who are in position behind the defensive linemen and in front of the safeties and cornerbacks and whose principal responsibilities are to tackle runners and to defend against shorter passes
Definitions
- The defensive players who are in position behind the defensive linemen and in front of the safeties and cornerbacks and whose principal responsibilities are to tackle runners and to defend against shorter passes
Ancestry of “linebacker”, step by step
linebacker traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English backer
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | backer | One who, or that which, backs; especially one who... |
| 2 | English | back | Near the rear; Not current; Far from the main... |
| 3 | French | bac | ferry; vat; high school exit exam in France; A... |
| 4 | French | baccalauréat | baccalaureat; bachelor's degree |
| 5 | Medieval Latin | baccalaureatus | bachelor's degree |
| 6 | Latin | baccalaureus | bachelor |
| 7 | Latin | laurea | laurel, bay tree; crown, wreath or branch of... |
| 8 | Latin | laurus | laurel tree; laurels; a crown of laurel |
| 9 | English | -aceous | Of, relating to, resembling or containing the... |
| 10 | Latin | -āceus | aceous; resembling, having the nature of, forming, belonging to |
| 11 | Latin | -āx | ish, -y |
| 12 | Latin | -ium | Suffix used to form abstract nouns, sometimes... |
| 13 | Latin | -ius | forming adjectives from nouns; nominative neuter... |
| 14 | Proto-Italic | -jōs | Forms comparative adjectives |
via English line
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | line | A path through two or more points (compare ‘segment’); a continuous mark, including as made by a pen; any path, curved or straight |
| 2 | Middle English | line | rope, cord; line, rule, ruler, measure; rule,... |
| 3 | Old English | līne | line, rope, cord; line, cable, rope, hawser,... |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *līnā | line, chord, rope, string |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | līnǭ | that which is made of flax; line, chord, rope,... |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | līną | flax |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | līno- | flax |