'backplane' originates from English, specifically as a compound of 'back' and 'plane', where 'back' (Old English 'bæc') meant 'the rear' and 'plane' (from Latin 'planus' via Old French) meant 'flat' or 'level'.

'backplane' was coined in the mid-20th century in electronics and computing as a compound of 'back' + 'plane' and came to be used for a board or panel forming the 'rear' plane that holds connectors for other circuit boards.

Initially, the elements conveyed the literal idea of a 'rear flat surface', but over time the compounded term evolved into the technical sense of 'a board or panel that provides interconnections for multiple circuit boards or modules'.