backbone
Americannoun
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Anatomy. the spinal column; spine.
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strength of character; resolution.
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something resembling a backbone in appearance, position, or function.
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Bookbinding. a back or bound edge of a book; spine.
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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.
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Naval Architecture. the central fore-and-aft assembly of the keel and keelson, giving longitudinal strength to the bottom of a vessel.
noun
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a nontechnical name for spinal column
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something that resembles the spinal column in function, position, or appearance
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strength of character; courage
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the main or central mountain range of a country or region
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nautical the main longitudinal members of a vessel, giving structural strength
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computing (in computer networks) a large-capacity, high-speed central section by which other network segments are connected
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of backbone
1250–1300; Middle English bacbon. See back 1, bone ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The company continues to show it is the manufacturing backbone of the AI era.
From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026
All of them came through the academy at the same time and have now become the backbone of the team.
From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026
There’s doubt massive tankers, once the backbone of global crude flows, will be returning in quite the same numbers to the Middle East.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 1, 2026
My supermarket frequently runs 10-for-$10 deals on canned goods, which is essentially my signal to replenish the pantry backbone: black beans, chickpeas, navy beans, diced tomatoes.
From Salon • May 22, 2026
Her next words jarred his stomach loose from his backbone.
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
