backbones
|back-bone|
🇺🇸
/ˈbækboʊn/
🇬🇧
/ˈbækbəʊn/
(backbone)
central support
Etymology
'backbone' originates from Old English, specifically the words 'bæc' and 'bān', where 'bæc' meant 'back' and 'bān' meant 'bone'.
'backbone' changed from the Old English compound 'bæc-bān' and through Middle English forms (such as 'back-bone') eventually became the modern English word 'backbone'.
Initially, it meant 'the bone of the back' (literal), but over time it evolved to include the metaphorical senses of 'main support' and 'strength or courage' in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the series of vertebrae forming the spinal column; the spine.
All mammals have backbones that protect their spinal cords.
Synonyms
Noun 2
the main structural support of something; the chief foundation or most important part (e.g. 'the backbone of the economy').
Small farms are the backbones of many rural economies.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/25 17:39