backbone

noun

back·​bone ˈbak-ˈbōn How to pronounce backbone (audio)
-ˌbōn
1
2
: something that resembles a backbone: such as
a
: a chief mountain ridge, range, or system
b
: the foundation or most substantial or sturdiest part of something
c
: the longest chain of atoms or groups of atoms in a usually long molecule (such as a polymer or protein)
d
: the primary high-speed hardware and transmission lines of a telecommunications network (such as the Internet)
3
: firm and resolute character
4
backboned adjective

Examples of backbone in a Sentence

She is the backbone of the family. He showed some backbone by refusing to compromise his values.
Recent Examples on the Web Nearly five months after the U.N. Security Council approved the armed mission, the deployment of 1,000 Kenya police officers who are supposed to served as its backbone remains blocked by legal hurdles. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2024 Shipping is the backbone of this economy with more than 90 million tons of cargo moving throughout the Great Lakes each year. Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2024 Juan Floyd-Thomas, Associate Professor of African American Religious History at Vanderbilt University, joins us on The Excerpt to discuss the effort to preserve these historic sites, part of the backbone of the Civil Rights Movement. Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, 25 Feb. 2024 Its scorching-hot growth became the backbone on which much of the rest of the U.S. stock market’s growth was built and drove the Nasdaq to near record highs last year, just 6.5% off its all-time high in November 2021. Paolo Confino, Fortune, 22 Feb. 2024 Their grip over the backbone of U.S. grids demands public scrutiny and accountability. IEEE Spectrum, 22 Feb. 2024 Hence, investors should consider assessing growth by challenging the qualitative aspects of a company's revenue, growth, margins and balance sheet resilience that constitute the backbone for long-term growth. Raphaëlle D’ornano, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 This country’s strength and backbone are immigrants, and they should be treated with respect. The San Diego Union-Tribune Staff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Feb. 2024 Current algorithms encode information at a physical density of 1 bit per 60 atoms (a pair of bases and the sugar backbones to which they’re attached). IEEE Spectrum, 17 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'backbone.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of backbone was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near backbone

Cite this Entry

“Backbone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backbone. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

backbone

noun
back·​bone -ˈbōn How to pronounce backbone (audio)
-ˌbōn
1
: the skeleton of the trunk and tail of a vertebrate that consists of a jointed series of vertebrae enclosing and protecting the spinal cord

called also spinal column

2
: the foundation or sturdiest part of something
3
: firmness of character
a coward with no backbone
backboned
-ˈbōnd How to pronounce backbone (audio)
-ˌbōnd
adjective

Medical Definition

backbone

noun
back·​bone -ˈbōn, -ˌbōn How to pronounce backbone (audio)
1
2
: the longest chain of atoms or groups of atoms in a usually long molecule (as a polymer or protein)

More from Merriam-Webster on backbone

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