backstreet
|back-street|
/ˈbækˌstriːt/
small or hidden street; secluded/seedy area
Etymology
'backstreet' originates from Old English and Modern English elements: specifically 'back' (Old English 'bæc') meaning 'back, behind' and 'street' (Old English 'stræt', from Latin 'strata [via]') meaning 'paved road'.
'backstreet' formed in Middle English as compounds like 'bakstrete'/'backstrete' combining 'back' + 'strete' (street) and developed into the modern compound 'backstreet'.
Initially it referred plainly to a street located at the back of buildings or behind main roads; over time it also acquired figurative senses of being secluded, less prominent, or associated with disreputable or unofficial activity.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a small street away from main roads; often a minor or less-traveled road in a town.
They bought a house on a quiet backstreet.
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Noun 2
a part of town that is rundown, disreputable, or associated with illicit or low‑quality activity.
The business operated out of a backstreet, far from official oversight.
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Adjective 1
done unofficially, secretly, or illegally; informal and often unsafe (used attributively, e.g., 'backstreet clinic').
Patients were forced to rely on backstreet clinics.
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Last updated: 2025/12/27 20:31