Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

humpback

/ˈhʌmpbæk/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 2.81 in modern English

Syllables: hump-back
IPA: /ˈhʌmpbæk/

23

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

2

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A humped back (deformity in humans caused by abnormal curvature of the upper spine).

noun

A humped back (deformity in humans caused by abnormal curvature of the upper spine).

noun

A humped back (deformity in humans caused by abnormal curvature of the upper spine).

noun

A person with a humpback; a person who suffers from kyphosis.

Derogatory; Offensive

noun

A humpback whale.

noun

A humpback salmon.

verb

To hunt humpback whales.

Example Sentences

"[…] the Stone in my Fathers Body was so immense, that I’ve wonder’d it did not bunch up behind, and make him have a Hump-back, or at least overpoise him in walking, and drag him backward with its incredible weight."
"In the Male Line, there happened an unlucky Accident in the Reign of Richard the Third; the eldest Son of Philip, then Chief of the Family, being born with an Hump-back and very high Nose."
"Diana Vernon, the most beautiful creature I ever beheld, in love with him, the bandy-legged, bull-necked, limping scoundrel!—Richard the Third in all but his hump-back!"
"[…] Mr. Jos had the honour of leading out the Countess of Schlusselback, an old lady with a hump back, but with sixteen good quarters of nobility and related to half the royal houses of Germany."
"He saw Dmitri half rise from his chair so that the shadow of his humpback shifted on the whitewashed wall."
"[…] the cows stood about with gloomy eyes and hump-backs, surly and dangerous […]"

Etymology

From hump + back.

Usage

Inflected Forms

humpbacks (plural) hump-back (alternative) humpbacks (present, singular) humpbacking (participle, present) humpbacked (participle, past) humpbacked (past)

Phrases

humpback anglerfish humpback bridge humpback dolphin humpback salmon humpback whale

Frequently Paired Words

humpbacked kyphosis

Synonyms

crookback hunchback humpback whale megaptera novaeangliae kyphosis

Questions

How do you pronounce humpback?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈhʌmpbæk/.
What does humpback mean?: A humped back (deformity in humans caused by abnormal curvature of the upper spine).
Where does humpback come from?: From hump + back.

How to pronounce humpback

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “humpback”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈhʌmpbæk/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “humpback”.
Repeat and practice — Say “humpback” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.