back-up

A form of backup — A reserve or substitute.

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Meanings

adjectiveback-up (not comparable)
  1. alternativenot comparableAlternative form of backup
nounback-up (plural back-ups)

plural back-ups

  1. alternativeAlternative form of backup.

    Despite deploying a contingency workforce of fully trained non-striking and non-union back-up staff, Network Rail was forced to issue a limited timetable with only 20% of services running on June 21, 23 and 25.

    2022 June 29, “Network News: Emergency timetables: just 20% of services set to run”, in RAIL, number 960, page 6

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
fallback

Origin

Deverbal from back up.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

back-up. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/back-up

MLA

“back-up.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/back-up. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “back-up,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/back-up.

Source: back-up on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.