backward compatible
adjective
variants
or less commonly backwards compatible
: compatible with older equipment or previous versions of software
Dolby Digital is backward compatible and supports earlier versions of Dolby such as Pro Logic.—
Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports
backward compatibility
noun
or less commonly backwards compatibility
Examples of backward compatible in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The headset is also fully backward compatible with over 500 titles designed for earlier Quest headsets, and it can be connected to a PC via Link Cable or Air Link wireless connection for PC VR experiences.
—Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 28 Sep. 2023
This tri-band mesh router can potentially download a 4K movie in 10 seconds, is backward compatible with existing Eeros and older Wi-Fi versions, and packs in four Ethernet ports (two 10 Gbps and two 2.5 Gbps).
—WIRED, 20 Sep. 2023
This includes hosting and running the code with enough compute power at the time of recovery in another region, adapting the code to make sure all of the cloud resources are supported, maintaining the version of the IaC server and making sure that all the code is backward compatible.
—Govind Rangasamy, Forbes, 14 Apr. 2022
Each of the protocols is backward compatible.
—Simon Hill, Wired, 28 June 2022
PS Plus subscribers can download one PS5 title and two PS4 titles that are backward compatible on PS5.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 5 Oct. 2021
The Joy-Con controllers, too, are nothing new, though the new Switch is backward compatible with older Joy-Cons.
—Washington Post, 24 May 2021
Like previous standards, Wi-Fi 7 will be backward compatible.
—Simon Hill, WIRED, 29 Dec. 2022
For connecting with the outside world, the Baseus has a Gigabit Ethernet port that’s backward compatible with slower standards.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 12 Aug. 2022
Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 28 Sep. 2023
This tri-band mesh router can potentially download a 4K movie in 10 seconds, is backward compatible with existing Eeros and older Wi-Fi versions, and packs in four Ethernet ports (two 10 Gbps and two 2.5 Gbps).
—WIRED, 20 Sep. 2023
This includes hosting and running the code with enough compute power at the time of recovery in another region, adapting the code to make sure all of the cloud resources are supported, maintaining the version of the IaC server and making sure that all the code is backward compatible.
—Govind Rangasamy, Forbes, 14 Apr. 2022
Each of the protocols is backward compatible.
—Simon Hill, Wired, 28 June 2022
PS Plus subscribers can download one PS5 title and two PS4 titles that are backward compatible on PS5.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 5 Oct. 2021
The Joy-Con controllers, too, are nothing new, though the new Switch is backward compatible with older Joy-Cons.
—Washington Post, 24 May 2021
Like previous standards, Wi-Fi 7 will be backward compatible.
—Simon Hill, WIRED, 29 Dec. 2022
For connecting with the outside world, the Baseus has a Gigabit Ethernet port that’s backward compatible with slower standards.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 12 Aug. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'backward compatible.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1975, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of backward compatible was
in 1975
Dictionary Entries Near backward compatible
Cite this Entry
“Backward compatible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/backward%20compatible. Accessed 17 Apr. 2024.
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