backbone means the series of vertebrae, separated by disks, that encloses and protects the spinal cord, and runs down the middle of the back in vertebrate animals.
backbone is pronounced /ˈbækˌbəʊn/.
Why “backbone” is a great word
The central supporting column of the body, or figuratively, the indispensable source of strength and integrity for a system or person. Its lineage is as straightforward as its function: from Middle English *bakbon*, *bakebon*, a compound of ‘back’ (from Old English *bæc*) and ‘bone’ (from Old English *bān*), first attested before 1300. Unlike "spine" (which is strictly anatomical) or "fortitude" (which is purely a quality of mind), "backbone" marries the physical and the moral, implying a structural core without which everything collapses. It is the palpable ridge of vertebrae beneath the skin of a laborer, the single load-bearing wall in a derelict house, and the quiet refusal to bend when principle demands it stand straight—the architecture of resolve, both in flesh and in spirit.
Etymology
From Middle English bakbon, bakebon, bac-bon; equivalent to back + bone. Compare the semantically analogous English ridgebone.
noun
- The series of vertebrae, separated by disks, that encloses and protects the spinal cord, and runs down the middle of the back in vertebrate animals.
- Any fundamental support, structure, or infrastructure.e.g.“Before automobiles, railroads were a backbone of commerce.”
- Courage, fortitude, or strength.e.g.“He would make a good manager, if he had a little more backbone.”
Words closest in meaning
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