back
/bæk/
noun
Origin
Old English
bæc — back of a person
Overview
Meaning Now
- The rear surface of the human body, from the shoulders to the hips.
- The rear or hinder part of anything; the reverse side.
Literal older meaning
hinder part
Language path
Proto-Germanic → Old English → English
Earliest form
bæc
Earliest period
Old English period
Journey
The word stems from a Germanic noun referring specifically to the rear portion of the torso. Unlike Latin-derived terms for the body, this is a core Germanic root that has remained remarkably stable in form and meaning throughout the history of English.
Evolution
- Proto-Germanic
*bako
“back”
- Old English
bæc
“back of the body”
- Middle English
bak
“rear part”
- Modern English
back
“rear part or surface”
Connections
Word parts
back
root
rear body part
Related across languages
Old Frisian
bek
back
Middle Dutch
bac
back
Explore next
Related to back
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.