backer

1 of 3

back·​er ˈba-kər 

comparative of back

backer

2 of 3

noun (1)

back·​er ˈba-kər 

plural -s

1

: one that supports

2

: a worker who works with backs or backing: such as

a

: a slaughterhouse worker who removes the back, shoulders, and base of the tail of a hide from a carcass

b

: a worker who reinforces parts of shoes (such as vamps, uppers, or straps) by pasting in pieces of lining material

c

: a worker who forms the ridges to which covers are hinged at the back of rounded book bodies

3

: material used for backing

specifically : a piece of canvas, flannel, or other material used to reinforce parts of linings or uppers of shoes

4

: a strap usually of sennit secured to a ship's yard and carrying a thimble through which an earing runs

5

American football, informal : linebacker

Left outside linebacker Mike Vrabel will most likely have to move inside to replace Seau, with right outside backer Rosevelt Colvin shifting to the left side.

—Michael Silver, Sports Illustrated, 4 Dec. 2006

backer

3 of 3

noun

back·​er ˈba-kər 

plural -s

dialectal

: tobacco

Word History

Etymology

Noun

by shortening & alteration

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1583, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1833, in the meaning defined above

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Rhymes for backer

• acker
• blacker
• cracker
• hacker
• lacquer
• packer
• slacker
• stacker
• thacker
• tracker
• attacker
• backpacker