backslash

American  

[bak-slash] / ˈbækˌslæʃ /

noun

1. a short oblique stroke (\), a backward slash, used in some computer operating systems to mark the division between a directory and a subdirectory or its folders, as in designating a path.

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backslash British  

noun

1. a slash which slopes to the left \

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Etymology

Origin of backslash

First recorded in 1975–80; back ¹ + slash ¹

Compare meaning

How does backslash compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• backslash vs. forward slash