backside

noun

back·​side ˈbak-ˌsīd How to pronounce backside (audio)
1
informal
a
: the part of the body that a person sits on : buttocks
I slid down on my backside, heaving or rowing myself with my arms and using my good leg for steering …Oliver Sacks
b
: the part of the body of a four-legged animal corresponding to the buttocks : rump sense 1a
… admits she hit the dog's backside but denies hitting it on the head.Ann Krueger
2
or back side : the side or surface opposite the front or face of something : the farthest or reverse side : back
A tight, rocky couloir drops down the backside of the peak …Mike Beaudry
The guy with the clipboard pulled me over, pointed to an innocuous little knob on the back side of the engine and said it's part of the computer and needs to be replaced.Tom and Ray Magliozzi
3
or back side
a
: the side opposite the homestretch on a racecourse : backstretch
When challenged on the backside the final time around, Tudor Palm would have no part of it, and burst to the lead again.Jackie Burke
b
: the part of a playing field or court (as in football or basketball) that is away from where the main action or play is occurring
often used before another noun
a backside tackle
c
: the final 9 holes of an 18-hole golf course
The duo had a little trouble on the backside, though, as they bogeyed the par-3 11th hole.Brian Girasoli

Examples of backside in a Sentence

our backsides were sore after sitting on those hard benches for so long
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
An inch or two higher and the ball would have sailed past guard Kevin Huerter and into the arms of the Lakers’ Dorian Finney-Smith on the backside. Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2025 Head to the backside of the library, where architects used glass partitioning and rammed earth to nearly soundproof the space from both Caltrain horns and the children’s area. Linda Zavoral, The Mercury News, 24 Mar. 2025 According to Meteorologist Doug Kahn, a strong low pressure system rotating in the northern Plains collided with warm, moist air from the Gulf, while on its backside, cold, dry air was being funneled down. Monica Mercuri, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025 Consider, instead, her one-piece jacket and apron skirt combo, which turns to very nearly reveal a flash of backside. Nicole Phelps, Vogue, 18 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for backside

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Backside.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backside. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

backside

noun
back·​side ˈbak-ˈsīd How to pronounce backside (audio)
informal

Medical Definition

backside

noun
back·​side -ˌsīd How to pronounce backside (audio)
: buttocks
often used in plural

More from Merriam-Webster on backside

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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