backwaters
|back-wat-ers|
🇺🇸
/ˈbækˌwɔtər/
🇬🇧
/ˈbækˌwɔːtə/
(backwater)
stagnant place
Etymology
'backwater' originates from English, a compound of 'back' and 'water', where 'back' meant 'rear' or 'behind' and 'water' meant 'water'.
'back' and 'water' come from Old English elements 'bæc' and 'wæter'; the compound appeared in Middle/early modern English and eventually became the modern English noun 'backwater'.
Initially it referred specifically to a stagnant or sheltered part of a body of water; over time a figurative meaning developed referring to places or regions that are isolated or behind the times.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a part of a river, lake, or harbor where the water is still or moves very slowly; an area of stagnant water separated from the main current.
Mud and reeds collected in the backwaters after the flood.
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Noun 2
a place or region that is isolated, undeveloped, or backward relative to more modern areas; used figuratively of stagnation or remoteness.
Many small towns were once regarded as cultural backwaters, ignored by industry and the media.
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Idioms
Last updated: 2025/12/28 08:10