linesman

noun

lines·​man ˈlīnz-mən How to pronounce linesman (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The living begins at the base of the tower at the foyer, which features a cascading water feature and a wall of tools unearthed in the 1940s that were once used by linesman to repair the tower. — Sandra Barrera, Oc Register, 16 July 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for linesman

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of linesman was in 1883

Phrases Containing linesman

Browse Nearby Words

linesides
linesman
line space
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Linesman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/linesman. Accessed 13 Aug. 2025.

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Kids Definition

linesman

noun
lines·​man ˈlīnz-mən How to pronounce linesman (audio)
: an official who assists a referee in a game (as football or hockey)
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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