backbone

American  

[bak-bohn] / ˈbækˌboʊn /

noun

• backbones
  plural

1. Anatomy. the spinal column; spine.

2. strength of character; resolution.

   Synonyms:

   fortitude, decision, firmness

3. something resembling a backbone in appearance, position, or function.

4. Bookbinding. a back or bound edge of a book; spine.

5. Nautical. a rope running along the middle of an awning, as a reinforcement and as an object to which a supporting bridle or crowfoot may be attached.

6. Naval Architecture. the central fore-and-aft assembly of the keel and keelson, giving longitudinal strength to the bottom of a vessel.

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backbone British  

/ ˈbækˌbəʊn /

noun

1. a nontechnical name for spinal column

2. something that resembles the spinal column in function, position, or appearance

3. strength of character; courage

4. the main or central mountain range of a country or region

5. nautical the main longitudinal members of a vessel, giving structural strength

6. computing (in computer networks) a large-capacity, high-speed central section by which other network segments are connected

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backbone Scientific  

/ băk′bōn′ /

1. See vertebral column

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backbone Cultural  

1. The primary line(s) that connects the slower, shorter cable portions of a communications network together. (See last mile.) In larger networks, such as the Internet, a backbone consists of high-capacity, high-speed lines that can extend over great distances.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• backboned
  adjective
• backboneless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• backbones
  plural

Etymology

Origin of backbone

1250–1300; Middle English bacbon. See back ¹, bone ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

backbone backbones

They are the physical backbone of the internet.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026

Columna is a nod to Angelenos who make up the backbone of the city.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026

The victory kicked off the staggering run of 17 wins in 20 games which formed the backbone of returning to the Champions League and giving Villa momentum to win the Europa League.

From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026

The payments to Leonard were facilitated through team sponsors, allowing the team to sidestep league rules about maximum compensation for players, the backbone of the NBA’s competitive structure.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

But with the sugar-phosphate backbone on the outside, it did not matter which salt was present.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson

"Big pharma's GLP-1 backbones are already excellent," Eastman said.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 28, 2026

For decades, palaeontologists believed that the largest ocean predators were vertebrates with backbones such as fish and reptiles while invertebrates like octopuses and squid played supporting roles.

From BBC ● Apr. 23, 2026

“If you look at the collection of companies that ultimately formed Lumen, the underlying technologies and backbones were never integrated,” he said.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 16, 2026

Animals without a backbones evolved first, around 700 million years ago.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025

In the case of mammals, reptiles, and fish, it would be that they all have backbones.

From "Auggie & Me" by R. J. Palacio

Related Words

• foundation
• spine