Meanings
nounbackspace (plural backspaces)
plural backspaces
- The key on a typewriter that moves the head one position backwards.
verbbackspace (third-person singular simple present backspaces, present participle backspacing, simple past and past participle backspaced)
present singular third person backspaces · participle present backspacing · participle past backspaced · past backspaced
- computingTo remove a character behind a cursor.
So once you hit 'E', just backspace.
2024 April 17, SMii7Y, 1:20 from the start, in Content Warning Footage That Should Never Be Uploaded, spoken by SMii7Y
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA non-printable text character representing a backspace.
Similar
mul:\b
More synonyms by meaning
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Translations
Bengali ব্যাকস্পেস
- ব্যাকস্পেস (bêkośpes)computer key
Esperanto retropaŝo
- retropaŝotypewriter key
Finnish askelpalautin, askelpalautin
- askelpalautintypewriter key
- askelpalautincomputer key
- backspace-näppäincomputer key
- kumittaaremove a character
French retour arrière, retour arrière
- retour arrièretypewriter key
- retour arrièrecomputer key
German Backspace, Rücktaste
- Backspacetypewriter key
- Rücktastetypewriter key
- Rücksetztastetypewriter key
- Backspacecomputer key
- Rücktastecomputer key
- Rücksetztastecomputer key
Icelandic hopa
- hoparemove a character
Japanese バックスペースキー, バックスペース
- バックスペースキー (bakkusupēsu kī)typewriter key
- バックスペース (bakkusupēsu)typewriter key
- バックスペースキー (bakkusupēsu kī)computer key
- バックスペース (bakkusupēsu)computer key
Korean 백스페이스 키, 백스페이스
- 백스페이스 키 (baekseupeiseu ki)typewriter key
- 백스페이스 (baekseupeiseu)typewriter key
- 백스페이스 키 (baekseupeiseu ki)computer key
- 백스페이스 (baekseupeiseu)computer key
Polish backspace, backspace
- backspacetypewriter key
- backspacecomputer key
- usuwać znaki w edytorze teksturemove a character
- usunąć znaki w edytorze teksturemove a character
Portuguese backspace, retrocesso
- backspacecomputer key
- retrocessocomputer key
- (tecla de) retrocedercomputer key
- (tecla de) recuocomputer key
- (tecla de) apagarcomputer key
Romanian tastă backspace, backspace
- tastă backspacetypewriter key
- backspacetypewriter key
- tastă backspacecomputer key
- backspacecomputer key
Spanish retroceso, retroceso
- retrocesotypewriter key
- retrocesocomputer key
- (tecla de) borrarcomputer key
Swedish backsteg, backstegstangent
- backstegtypewriter key
- backstegstangenttypewriter key
- backslagstangenttypewriter key
Turkish geri tuşu, silme tuşu
- geri tuşutypewriter key
- silme tuşutypewriter key
- geri tuşucomputer key
- silme tuşucomputer key
Vietnamese phím lùi, phím xóa lùi
- phím lùitypewriter key
- phím xóa lùicomputer key
- phím lùicomputer key
Cite this entry
APA
backspace. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/backspace
MLA
“backspace.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/backspace. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “backspace,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/backspace.
Source: backspace on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.