Standard Lemma guide
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
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noun
A person with old-fashioned views; hence, one who is very conservative or reactionary; a mossback.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, informal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: conservative, reactionary, retrograde, traditionalist
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Synonym of mossback (“a person who stayed hidden to evade conscription (especially by the Confederate States Army) during the American Civil War (1861–1865)”).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, historical, informal, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: mossback
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Senses relating to animals.
A fish that is large and old, especially one that has algae growing on its back; a mossback.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, obsolete
Topics: fishing, hobbies, lifestyle
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Senses relating to animals.
The menhaden, mossbanker, or mossbunker, a marine fish of the genus Brevoortia or Ethmidium.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
From mossy + back (in sense 2 (“person who stayed hidden to evade conscription during the American Civil War”) probably a variant of mossback, which is attested earlier), alluding to someone or something that is so old or has remained so unmoving that it is as if moss has grown on them or it. Sense 3.2 (“menhaden”) may be influenced by mossbunker.
Across languages
4 source translations are retained for this English entry.
