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

The bout was billed as a classic grappler versus striker match-up, with Makhachev's signature wrestling providing the backbone for his dominant run in the UFC.

From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026

It wasn’t accidental how the Appalachian Trail became my family’s backbone.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026

Van der Meer called offshore oil production “the backbone of the international business” and predicted a sharp decline in fracking production within a decade.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026

The seven thermal power plants that form the national grid's backbone have all been in operation for more than 40 years, and are in various states of disrepair.

From Barron's ● Aug. 2, 2026

There was no difficulty in twisting an externally situated backbone into a shape compatible with the X-ray evidence.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson

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

In 1981, researchers uncovered a set of ancient snake backbones at Hordle Cliff on England's south coast.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 31, 2025

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025

Metaphors like those about celestial campfires or galactic backbones were eventually replaced in most human cultures by another idea; The powerful beings in the sky were promoted to gods.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

Related Words

• foundation
• spine