backstitching
|back-stitch-ing|
/ˈbæk.stɪ.tʃɪŋ/
(backstitch)
stitch backward to secure
Etymology
'backstitching' originates from English, specifically the word 'backstitch', where 'back' meant 'rear, at the back' and 'stitch' meant 'a sewing loop or puncture (from Old English roots related to piercing).'
'backstitch' developed in Middle English from the combination of 'back' + 'stitch' (stitch from Old English 'stice'/'stician' or related Germanic roots) and eventually formed the modern compound 'backstitch' and derivative 'backstitching'.
Initially, the components literally referred to a 'stitch toward/back' or a stitch related to the back direction; over time this became the specific technical term for the sewing method now called 'backstitching', used to create a strong seam.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a sewing stitch in which each stitch overlaps or is taken back into the previous stitch to form a strong, continuous seam (the technique or the row of such stitches).
The backstitching along the seam prevented the fabric from fraying.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/27 18:38