noun · 3 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
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/ˈbækˌɹɛst/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:B AE1 K R EH2 S T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The back piece of a chair, used to support the sitter's back.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: back
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A guide attached to the slide rest of a lathe, and placed in contact with the work to steady it in turning.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
a support that you can lean against while sitting
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the back of the dental chair was adjustable
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: back
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: support
Narrower terms: cantle, ladder-back
History
Etymology
Compound of back + rest.
Across languages
Translations
40 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Catalan:
respatller
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Chinese Mandarin:
靠背
(kàobèi)
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Czech:
opěradlo
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Czech:
opěrka
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Danish:
ryglæn
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Danish:
rygstød
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Danish:
rygstøtte
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Dutch:
rugleuning
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Finnish:
selkänoja
— back piece of a chair — see also back
French:
dossier
— back piece of a chair — see also back
German:
Rückenlehne
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Hebrew:
מִסְעָד
(mis'ád)
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Hungarian:
háttámla
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Icelandic:
bak
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Icelandic:
bakstoð
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Icelandic:
bakfjöl
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Italian:
schienale
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Japanese:
背もたれ
(semotare)
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Latvian:
atzveltne
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Norwegian Bokmål:
ryggstø
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Norwegian Nynorsk:
ryggstø
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Persian:
پشتی
(pošti)
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Plautdietsch:
Rigjlän
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Portuguese:
espaldar
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Portuguese:
encosto
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Romanian:
spătar
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Russian:
спи́нка
(spínka)
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Serbo-Croatian:
наслон
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Slovak:
operadlo
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Slovak:
opierka
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Spanish:
respaldo
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Spanish:
espaldar
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Spanish:
respaldar
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Swedish:
ryggstöd
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Turkish:
arkalık
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Ottoman Turkish:
آرقهلق
(arkalık)
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Ukrainian:
спи́нка
(spýnka)
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Zazaki:
phastek
— back piece of a chair — see also back
Chinese Mandarin:
導板 /导板
(dǎobǎn)
— guide attached to the slide rest of a lathe
Finnish:
välituki
— guide attached to the slide rest of a lathe