zaga

rear; back line

noun SAH-gah Rare

Usage Note

Zaga primarily means the rear or back portion of something — in football, la zaga refers to the defensive backline. The fixed phrase a la zaga (or en zaga) means 'behind' or 'lagging behind': no ir a la zaga means 'to be second to none'. It is distinct from saga (a saga or dynasty), which is written without the z. In Spain's road transport history, zaga also meant the back part of a carriage.

Examples

"La zaga del equipo defendió muy bien."

Natural Translation

The team's back line defended very well.

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