Dictionary

backbone en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈbækˌboʊn/ (US)
• /ˈbækˌbəʊn/ (UK)
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English bakbon, bakebon, bac-bon; equivalent to back + bone. Compare the semantically analogous English ridgebone.

Meanings

1. (countable) The series of vertebrae, separated by disks, that encloses and protects the spinal cord, and runs down the middle of the back in vertebrate animals.
2. (countable, figuratively) Any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure.
   • Undoubtedly it can be said that the humble 0-6-0 has been the backbone for general service, or general utility on British railways right from their earliest days, and is likely to remain so. 1945 November and December, H. C. Casserley, “Random Reflections on British Locomotive Types—1”, in Railway Magazine, page 320:
   • The backbone of our research is an extensive corpus of contemporary spoken Esperanto. 2022, Sabine Fiedler, Cyril Robert Brosch, “Methods and data” (chapter 5), in Esperanto – Lingua Franca and Language Community, John Benjamins Publishing Company, →DOI, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OL, page 22:
   • With little regular employment available in East Kent the backbone of the Kent Coast passenger traffic is therefore the commuters, the not inconsiderable numbers of people who travel each day to their work in Faversham, Sittingbourne, the Medway Towns and most of all, London. 1959 April, P. Ransome-Wallis, “The Southern in Trouble on the Kent Coast”, in Trains Illustrated, London: Ian Allan Publishing, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 212:
   • When operating on customer MAC (C-MAC) and service MAC (S-MAC) addresses, PBB uses a new backbone MAC (B-MAC) address. The B-MAC address is added at the edge of the PBB network, that is administered by a carrier VPN or a carrier-of-carriers VPN. 2025 April 17, “Provider Backbone Bridging (PBB) and EVPN Integration Overview”, in Juniper Networks, archived from the original on 01 Jul 2025:
   • Before automobiles, railroads were a backbone of commerce.
   • East [Street] and West Street form a single thoroughfare running as a backbone through the village, flanked by neat, painted cottages of predominantly 18th-century brick. 1980, AA Book of British Villages, Drive Publications Ltd, page 220, about Hambledon, Hants:
   • The San Francisco AIDS Foundation (SFAF) and other community-based organizations that "provide backbone and leadership" in AIDS services are "reeling under the impact of growing case loads," said Pat Christen, SFAF's new director. 1989 December 10, John Zeh, “AIDS Groups' Execs Arrested In D.C.”, in Gay Community News, volume 17, number 22, page 1:
3. (figuratively, uncountable) Courage, fortitude, or strength.
   • [Indiana:] I hate snakes, Jock! I hate 'em! [Jock:] Come on! Show a little backbone, will ya! 1981, Lawrence Kasdan, Raiders of the Lost Ark:
   • His appearance was certainly that of a hairdresser's dummy; but in the great demoralization of the land he kept up his appearance. That's backbone. His starched collars and got-up shirt-fronts were achievements of character. He had been out nearly three years; and, later, I could not help asking him how he managed to sport such linen. 1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part I, page 207:
   • He would make a good manager, if he had a little more backbone.

Forms

Deriveds

to the backbone · backboned · backboneless · Bustamante backbone · devil's backbone

Holonyms

skeleton

Meronyms

coccyx · vertebra · intervertebral disc · tailbone · sacrum

Synonyms

backbone · spine · vertebral column · spinal column

Translations (167)

ru хребе́т (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · es carácter (courage, fortitude, or strength) · it spina dorsale (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · dtr toruntud (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · el ραχοκοκαλιά (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · dtp toruntud (Tambunan Dusun) (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · hu tartás (courage, fortitude, or strength) · vi xương sống (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · he עַמּוּד שִׁדְרָה (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · pt base (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · ro șira spinării (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · kzj tountud (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · no ryggrad (courage, fortitude, or strength) · it colonna vertebrale (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · pt espinha dorsal (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · cs páteř (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · lv mugurkauls (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · nb ryggrad (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · la columna vertebralis (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · el ραχοκοκαλιά (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · pam gulugud (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · th กระดูกสันหลัง (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · mk ’рбет (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · egy p-s-D:F37 (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · mi iwituararo (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · it rachide (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · fr rachis (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · pl charakter (courage, fortitude, or strength) · nb virvelsøyle (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · sh kralježnica (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · mk по́тпора (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · de Rückgrat (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · is hryggur (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · hu gerinc (courage, fortitude, or strength) · it spina dorsale (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · nv íígháán (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · az onurğa (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · cmn 脊骨 (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · nb ryggsøyle (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · sv ryggrad (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · fi selkäranka (courage, fortitude, or strength) · mvv baluntur (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · pl trzon (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · sv ryggrad (courage, fortitude, or strength) · nl ruggengraat (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · bsb boruntud (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · eu bizkarrezur (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · ro coloană vertebrală (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · sh хрптењача (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · sv ryggrad (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · ga cnámh droma (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · mi iwituaroa (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · hu gerinc (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · io kurajo (courage, fortitude, or strength) · ar دِعَامَة (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · sh краљеҗница (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · pt espinha dorsal (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · ka ხერხემალი (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · kqr toruntud (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · bg основа (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · sl hrbtenica (courage, fortitude, or strength) · ar شَجَاعَة (courage, fortitude, or strength) · pl kręgosłup (courage, fortitude, or strength) · bdr teruntud (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · nn ryggsøyle (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · it struttura portante (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · de Rückgrat (courage, fortitude, or strength) · fr courage (courage, fortitude, or strength) · sh kičma (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · fr épine dorsale (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · ru хребе́т (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · pl kręgosłup (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · ca coratge (courage, fortitude, or strength) · ta முதுகெலும்பு (courage, fortitude, or strength) · ja 脊柱 (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · es coraje (courage, fortitude, or strength) · bg опора (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · ang hryċġbān (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · hu gerinc (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · ru сте́ржень (courage, fortitude, or strength) · tao vokot (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · tr omurga (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · fa ستون فقرات (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · wyi galgi ngarrak (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · ckb بڕبڕە (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · grc ῥάχις (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · pt coluna vertebral (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · is meginstoð (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · ja 背骨 (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · fr épine dorsale (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · vo bäkabom (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · is uppistaða (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · da rygrad (courage, fortitude, or strength) · de Rückgrat (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · de Wirbelsäule (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · lv mugurkauls (courage, fortitude, or strength) · hu gerincoszlop (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · tl bangananan (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · ka ფხა (courage, fortitude, or strength) · gd cùl (courage, fortitude, or strength) · gd bun-structar (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · ta முதுகெலும்பு (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · nv hwííshgháán (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · es columna vertebral (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · tt умырткалык (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · az özək (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · tr omurga (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · ta முதுகெலும்பு (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · nn ryggrad (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · es espina dorsal (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · tl gulugod (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · is bein í nefinu (courage, fortitude, or strength) · ru костя́к (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · hu hátgerinc (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · sh hrptenjača (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · fi selkäranka (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · it base (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · dtp oruntud (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · wyi nyilang ngarrak (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · hy ողնաշար (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · cmn 脊椎 (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · is skapfesta (courage, fortitude, or strength) · sh кичма (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · ga slat droma (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · cmn 骨幹 /骨干 (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · nl ruggengraat (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · ru осно́ва (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · ru позвоно́чник (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · eo vertebraro (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · cy asgwrn cefn (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · el σπονδυλική στήλη (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · sl hrbtenica (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · pt espinha (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · ar عَمُود فَقْرِيّ (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · hu jellem (courage, fortitude, or strength) · nn virvelsøyle (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · gl columna vertebral (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · ca espinada (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · sh краљеҗница (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · mk ки́чма (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · gd cnàimh an droma (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · fi selkäranka (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · sh kičma (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · cmn 背骨 (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · sh kralježnica (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · ca columna vertebral (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · ja 脊椎 (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · it coraggio (courage, fortitude, or strength) · da rygrad (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · da basis (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · bg гръбнак (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · sh кичма (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · cy asgwrn cefn (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · ill tangkal (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · pt firmeza (courage, fortitude, or strength) · no ryggrad (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · tl guluguran (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · fr colonne vertébrale (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · ms tulang belakang (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · da fundament (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · es columna vertebral (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · hy հիմք (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · ro coloană vertebrală (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · sv grundstomme (any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure) · tih baluntur (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · km ឆ្អឹងខ្នង (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord) · ca espina dorsal (series of vertebrae that encloses the spinal cord)