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adverb / adjective / noun / verb

back

BACK/bæk/

The rearward part or direction relative to a forward position.

The woman's back shows the contours of her shoulder blades and spine.

A close rear view of an adult woman's bare back, clearly showing the nape, shoulder blades, spine contour and waist down to the hips.
Etymology
backOld Englishback

Old English bæc already named this body region, so the anatomical meaning is inherited rather than figurative. The word has no known connections outside Germanic.

In context

Howcast0:32
front of my fingers and the base of my palm here on either side of the spine, and this just really helps to relieve any built-up tension in the low back.
How to Give a Lower Back Massage | Shiatsu Massage

More examples

  • A hiker carries a heavy pack on her back.
  • We went back to the back entrance after finding the front door locked.
  • The company finally paid the back wages it had owed since last year.
  • Back in college, she played drums in a band.

Forms

back · backs · backed · backing

Similar words

rear
Names the part behind the front without all the return senses.
backward
Specifically indicates movement or orientation toward the rear.