backstitches
|back-stitch-es|
/ˈbæk.stɪ.tʃɪz/
(backstitch)
stitch backward to secure
Etymology
'backstitch' is a compound of English 'back' and 'stitch'. 'Back' originates from Old English 'bæc' meaning 'back, rear', and 'stitch' comes from Old English elements related to 'stician' meaning 'to pierce or stab' (hence 'stitch' meaning a sewn loop or stitch).
'backstitch' developed in English as a compound describing a stitch made by returning the needle backward; the modern form 'backstitch' has been used in sewing terminology since at least the 18th–19th century to denote the specific reinforcing stitch.
Originally the parts simply described a 'stitch toward the back' or a stitch involving a backward motion; over time it became the standard name for the specific reinforcing sewing technique now called 'backstitch'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural of 'backstitch': stitches made by sewing backward (or returning) along the seam to secure or reinforce it; individual instances of that stitch.
The seam had several backstitches to reinforce the weak area.
Synonyms
Verb 1
third person singular present form of 'backstitch' — to sew using the backstitch technique (i.e., stitch by sewing back along previous stitches to secure the seam).
She backstitches the hem to make it more durable.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/27 18:24