Meaning & Definition of Backbone in English
English⟶
Backbone
/bækboʊn/
noun
1. A central cohesive source of support and stability
- "Faith is his anchor"
- "The keystone of campaign reform was the ban on soft money"
- "He is the linchpin of this firm"
synonym:
- anchor,
- mainstay,
- keystone,
- backbone,
- linchpin,
- lynchpin
2. Fortitude and determination
- "He didn't have the guts to try it"
synonym:
- backbone,
- grit,
- guts,
- moxie,
- sand,
- gumption
3. The series of vertebrae forming the axis of the skeleton and protecting the spinal cord
- "The fall broke his back"
synonym:
- spinal column,
- vertebral column,
- spine,
- backbone,
- back,
- rachis
4. The part of a book's cover that encloses the inner side of the book's pages and that faces outward when the book is shelved
- "The title and author were printed on the spine of the book"
synonym:
- spine,
- backbone
5. The part of a network that connects other networks together
- "The backbone is the part of a communication network that carries the heaviest traffic"
synonym:
- backbone
Examples of using
He is an American to the backbone.