Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

backfriend

/ˈbækˌfɹɛnd/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 0.00 in modern English

Syllables
back-friend
IPA
/ˈbækˌfɹɛnd/
22
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
2
Syllables
10
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A friend who supports someone; a person who has someone's back; a backer, a supporter.

British usage; Archaic

noun

Synonym of hangnail (“a loose, narrow strip of nail tissue protruding from the side edge and anchored near the base of a fingernail or toenail”).

British usage

noun

A person who pretends to be someone's friend; a false friend, a secret enemy.

British usage; Obsolete

Example Sentences

Etymology

From back (adverb or noun) + friend. Sense 3 (“person who pretends to be someone’s friend”) may allude to a person who stays back instead of coming forward to help, and so is not a true friend.

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈbækˌfɹɛnd/
  • British English: /ˈbækˌfɹɛnd/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Phrases

Frequently Paired Words

Synonyms

Questions

How do you pronounce backfriend?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈbækˌfɹɛnd/.
What does backfriend mean?
A friend who supports someone; a person who has someone's back; a backer, a supporter.
Where does backfriend come from?
From back (adverb or noun) + friend. Sense 3 (“person who pretends to be someone’s friend”) may allude to a person who stays back instead of coming forward to help, and so is not a true friend.

How to pronounce backfriend

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