backcourt

American  

[bak-kawrt, -kohrt] / ˈbækˌkɔrt, -ˌkoʊrt /

noun

1. Basketball. the half of a court in which the basket being defended is located.

2. Tennis. the part of a tennis court between the base line and the line, parallel to the net, that marks the in-bounds limit of a service.

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backcourt British  

/ ˈbækˌkɔːt /

noun

1. tennis the part of the court between the service line and the baseline

2. (in various court games) the area nearest the back boundary line

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Etymology

Origin of backcourt

First recorded in 1765–75; back ¹ + court

Example Sentences

Both of them go to Purdue: Smith and his backcourt teammate Fletcher Loyer.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

No. 1 Florida: The Gators lost their starting backcourt from last season national championship squad, but coach Todd Golden rebuilt his lineup and led the group to a Southeastern Conference regular season title.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026

Mary Tomooka and Victoria Grigsby, the freshman backcourt duo, have been key players.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 26, 2026

Without Wembanyama, the Spurs showcased their dynamic backcourt, led by Fox.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 11, 2025

He was in the backcourt with Trip and every time Trip passed him the ball he passed it right back or threw it in to Jose, who was playing center.

From "Slam!" by Walter Dean Myers