Standard Lemma guide

backflip

noun · verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈbæk.flɪp/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An act of rotating one's body 360 degrees in the backward direction.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: gymnastics, hobbies, lifestyle, sports

Examples

  • The gymnast performed a backflip on a trampoline.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: flip, move, movement

2

noun

Meaning 2

A total reversal in policy or opinion.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly

Examples

  • Near-synonyms: backtrack, backpedaling

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: flip-flop, volte-face, U-turn, backtrack, backpedaling

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To perform a backflip (rotation of body).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: flip, move

4

verb

Meaning 4

To completely reverse a policy or opinion; perform a U-turn.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Near-synonyms: backtrack, backpedal, walk back

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: flip-flop, U-turn, backtrack, backpedal, walk back

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From back- + flip.

Across languages

Translations

53 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: задно салто (zadno salto) — an act of rotating one's body
  • Chinese Mandarin: 後空翻 /后空翻 (hòukōngfān) — an act of rotating one's body
  • Dutch: achterwaartse salto — an act of rotating one's body
  • Dutch: backflip — an act of rotating one's body
  • Esperanto: transkapiĝa salto — an act of rotating one's body
  • Esperanto: mortosalto — an act of rotating one's body
  • Finnish: taaksepäinvoltti — an act of rotating one's body
  • French: salto arrière — an act of rotating one's body
  • German: Backflip — an act of rotating one's body
  • German: Rückwärtssalto — an act of rotating one's body
  • German: Salto rückwärts — an act of rotating one's body
  • German: Überschlag rückwärts — an act of rotating one's body
  • Hungarian: hátraszaltó — an act of rotating one's body
  • Italian: salto mortale all'indietro — an act of rotating one's body
  • Japanese: バク転 (bakuten) — an act of rotating one's body
  • Macedonian: о́братно са́лто (óbratno sálto) — an act of rotating one's body
  • Macedonian: са́лто на́назад (sálto nánazad) — an act of rotating one's body
  • Polish: salto w tył — an act of rotating one's body
  • Portuguese: salto mortal — an act of rotating one's body
  • Romanian: salt înapoi — an act of rotating one's body
  • Russian: са́льто n наза́д (sálʹto) — an act of rotating one's body
  • Serbo-Croatian: salta — an act of rotating one's body
  • Swedish: bakåtvolt — an act of rotating one's body
  • Thai: ตีลังกากลับหลัง — an act of rotating one's body
  • Turkish: geri takla — an act of rotating one's body
  • Turkish: geriye takla — an act of rotating one's body
  • Turkish: ters takla — an act of rotating one's body
  • Vietnamese: lộn ngược — an act of rotating one's body
  • Bulgarian: пълен обрат (pǎlen obrat) — total reversal in policy or opinion
  • Chinese Mandarin: 徹底改變立場 /彻底改变立场 (chèdǐ gǎibiàn lìchǎng) — total reversal in policy or opinion
  • Dutch: koersverandering — total reversal in policy or opinion
  • Dutch: ommezwaai — total reversal in policy or opinion
  • Finnish: takinkääntö — total reversal in policy or opinion
  • Finnish: lehmänkäännös — total reversal in policy or opinion
  • French: volte-face — total reversal in policy or opinion
  • French: revirement — total reversal in policy or opinion
  • German: Salto rückwärts — total reversal in policy or opinion
  • German: 180°-Wende — total reversal in policy or opinion
  • German: Kehrtwende — total reversal in policy or opinion
  • German: Umkehr — total reversal in policy or opinion
  • Italian: voltafaccia — total reversal in policy or opinion
  • Macedonian: це́лосен пре́сврт (célosen présvrt) — total reversal in policy or opinion
  • Romanian: cotitură — total reversal in policy or opinion
  • Russian: разворот (razvorot) — total reversal in policy or opinion
  • Swedish: u-sväng — total reversal in policy or opinion
  • Chinese Mandarin: 翻後空翻 /翻后空翻 (fān hòukōngfān) — to perform a backflip
  • Dutch: backflippen — to perform a backflip
  • Finnish: tehdä voltti taaksepäin — to perform a backflip
  • Chinese Mandarin: 徹底改變立場 /彻底改变立场 (chèdǐ gǎibiàn lìchǎng) — to completely reverse a policy or opinion
  • Dutch: omzwaaien — to completely reverse a policy or opinion
  • Finnish: tehdä täyskäännös — to completely reverse a policy or opinion
  • Portuguese: voltar atrás — to completely reverse a policy or opinion
  • Portuguese: mudar de opinião — to completely reverse a policy or opinion