Standard Lemma guide

brokeback

adj · 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

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1

adj

Meaning 1

Hunchbacked.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable, rare

Examples

  • Damn those brokeback tramps making a mess of our city.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Broken; derelict.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable, rare

Examples

  • The brokeback bridges in the hills sadden me: this place used to be beautiful.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Homoerotic; homosexual, gay.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: neologism, not-comparable, slang

Examples

  • I don't really think Frodo and Sam were gay, even if a couple of the scenes seemed a little brokeback to me.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Alternative spelling of brokeback in the homosexual sense.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: alt-of, alternative, not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From break + back; first used for "hunchback" in Carson McCullers' 1943 novella The Ballad of the Sad Café.

From the title of Annie Proulx's 1997 short story "Brokeback Mountain"; popularised by the 2005 film of the same name.

Across languages

Translations

3 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 斷背 /断背 (duànbèi) — (slang) homoerotic — see also homoerotic
  • Portuguese: bicha — (slang) homoerotic — see also homoerotic
  • Portuguese: gay — (slang) homoerotic — see also homoerotic