Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

backbite

/bˈækbˌaɪt/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.34 in modern English

Syllables: back-bite
IPA: /bˈækbˌaɪt/

18

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

2

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To make spiteful slanderous or defamatory statements about someone.

verb

To attack from behind or when out of earshot with spiteful or defamatory remarks.

Informal

verb

To speak badly of an absent individual.

noun

One who engages in backbiting; a backbiter.

Example Sentences

"They beguiled the time by backbiting and intriguing against each other in a foolish kind of way."
"Gumshoe: You're not gonna get me to backbite a woman with a whip. No way."

Etymology

From Middle English bakbiten, bacbiten, equivalent to back- + bite. Cognate with Icelandic bakbíta (“to backbite, vilify”).

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: bakbiten

Usage

Informal

Inflected Forms

backbites (present, singular) backbiting (participle, present) backbit (past) backbitten (participle, past) back-bite (alternative) backbites (plural)

Derived Forms

backbiter backbiting

Phrases

behind someone's back

Frequently Paired Words

behind someone's back

Synonyms

denigrate libel slander assassinate asperse backbite badmouth befoul belibel besmirch besmear bewray

Questions

How do you pronounce backbite?: The recorded pronunciation is /bˈækbˌaɪt/.
What does backbite mean?: To make spiteful slanderous or defamatory statements about someone.
Where does backbite come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce backbite

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “backbite”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/bˈækbˌaɪt/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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