backside

noun

back·​side ˈbak-ˌsīd How to pronounce backside (audio)
1
informal
a
: the part of the body that a person sits on : buttocks
I slid down on my backside, heaving or rowing myself with my arms and using my good leg for steering …Oliver Sacks
b
: the part of the body of a four-legged animal corresponding to the buttocks : rump sense 1a
… admits she hit the dog's backside but denies hitting it on the head.Ann Krueger
2
or back side : the side or surface opposite the front or face of something : the farthest or reverse side : back
A tight, rocky couloir drops down the backside of the peak …Mike Beaudry
The guy with the clipboard pulled me over, pointed to an innocuous little knob on the back side of the engine and said it's part of the computer and needs to be replaced.Tom and Ray Magliozzi
3
or back side
a
: the side opposite the homestretch on a racecourse : backstretch
When challenged on the backside the final time around, Tudor Palm would have no part of it, and burst to the lead again.Jackie Burke
b
: the part of a playing field or court (as in football or basketball) that is away from where the main action or play is occurring
often used before another noun
a backside tackle
c
: the final 9 holes of an 18-hole golf course
The duo had a little trouble on the backside, though, as they bogeyed the par-3 11th hole.Brian Girasoli

Examples of backside in a Sentence

our backsides were sore after sitting on those hard benches for so long
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The scope of the work is focused on a backstage area bound by Disneyland Drive, Katella Avenue, Downtown Drive and the backside of the Incredicoaster. Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 26 June 2025 With so much of the prime real estate taken up, many of the local stores (what’s left of them, anyway) have moved near the village parking lot — the backside of Main and Newtown by the Stop & Shop. Kim Velsey, Curbed, 25 June 2025 In this case, your plantar fascia are linked to your Achilles tendons via the backs of your heels; those tendons, in turn, connect to your calves, which have ties with your hamstrings as the backside propellers of your legs. Erica Sloan, SELF, 20 June 2025 At his 11:11 tour, Breezy went viral again — this time for grabbing fans’ backsides during photos (per their request, of course). Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 12 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for backside

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of backside was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Backside.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backside. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

backside

noun
back·​side ˈbak-ˈsīd How to pronounce backside (audio)
informal

Medical Definition

backside

noun
back·​side -ˌsīd How to pronounce backside (audio)
: buttocks
often used in plural

More from Merriam-Webster on backside

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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