back end

¹

[ bak end ]

noun

1. the rear part of something:

   I didn’t think my stage debut would entail playing the back end of a bull!

   My eyes followed the back end of the car, watching it slowly creep up the road and out of sight.

2. the later part of a process or span of time:

   The team has a chance to turn their season around, but they face a difficult back end of the schedule.

3. Computers. the parts of a computer program, website, system, network, etc., that the user does not see or directly interact with:

   The user information has all been updated in the back end.

   Our engineers can refurbish existing backends internally, improving structure and performance without altering the external behavior of the code.

4. the part of an organization or process that operates in the background or out of the public view:

   Tell us about the back end of your business, like your accounting and data processing systems.

5. British. the last few months of the year:

   The journal was published at the back end of last year.

back-end

²

or back·end

[ bak-end ]

adjective

1. Computers. being or relating to those parts of a computer program, website, system, network, etc., that the user does not see or directly interact with:

   Managed website hosting is for those who do not want to bother with a lot of the back-end stuff like updating apps and enabling automatic backups.

   We’re seeking an experienced back-end developer to help complete the development of our mobile education platform.

2. being or relating to the part of an organization that operates in the background or out of the public view:

   The library is hoping to streamline many of their back-end administrative processes.

   The back-end legal and financial responsibilities of running a business are significant.

3. happening or incurred at or near the end of a process or span of time:

   We do not ever charge hidden back-end transaction fees.

   The young pitcher is shaping up to be a great middle or back-end reliever.

back end

noun

1. dialect.
   autumn

adjective

1. (of money, costs, etc) required or incurred after a project has been completed

Word History and Origins

Origin of back end¹

First recorded in 1590–1600

Origin of back end²

First recorded in 1970–75

Word History and Origins

Origin of back end¹

from the phrase the back end of the year

Example Sentences

So who are these mysterious back-end boogiemen who force WePay to so aggressively discriminate against sex workers?

From The Daily Beast

On the same theory, Obama needs to want to learn about how websites work on the front end and back end.

From The Daily Beast

Another proposal that came up at the hearing would impose a measure of accountability on the back end.

From The Daily Beast

To customers, the front end and the back end of the IT infrastructure are inseparable.

From The Daily Beast

“Here, hold this,” he barks, handing me the back end of the writhing monster.

From The Daily Beast

There are twenty-two men on it, thirteen at the front end, and nine at the back end.

From Project Gutenberg

The more he tried to straighten it, the more it persisted in turning inside out and back end foremost.

From Project Gutenberg

The steam is taken out at the top of the steam-drum near the back end of the boiler.

From Project Gutenberg

Then I noticed the truck up the hill from me, a nondescript 18-wheeler with three metal steps coming down from the back end.

From Project Gutenberg

The roof is made of poles or small logs pinned to cross logs, the one at the back end of the pen forming a roller hinge.

From Project Gutenberg