backspacer
|back-spa-cer|
🇺🇸
/ˈbækˌspeɪsər/
🇬🇧
/ˈbækˌspeɪsə/
one who erases using backspace
Etymology
'backspacer' originates from Modern English, specifically formed from the verb 'backspace' + the agentive suffix '-er'.
'backspacer' was formed in the computing era by adding '-er' to 'backspace'. 'Backspace' itself is a compound of 'back' (Old English 'bæc', meaning 'rear') and 'space' (ultimately from Latin 'spatium' via Old French and Middle English).
Initially it meant 'one who presses the backspace key' as a simple agent noun; more recently it has also been used as a proper noun (notably the title of a 2009 Pearl Jam album), broadening its use.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person who presses the backspace key to delete characters (someone who erases text by using the backspace key).
The editor was a relentless backspacer, constantly removing words as he revised.
Synonyms
Noun 2
the title of Pearl Jam's 2009 studio album; used to refer to that album as a proper noun.
Pearl Jam's Backspacer was released in 2009.
Last updated: 2025/12/27 11:10