"back-up" meaning in English

See back-up in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

Etymology: Etymology tree English back updeverb. English back-up Deverbal from back up. Etymology templates: {{ety|en|:deverbal|back up|text=+|tree=1}} Etymology tree English back updeverb. English back-up [Appendix:Glossary#deverbal|Deverbal]] from", "terms" : [ { "children" : [ ], "lang_name" : "English", "term" : "back up", "status" : "missing", "lang" : "en" } ], "keyword" : "deverbal" } ], "lang_name" : "English", "term" : "back-up", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "en" }" data-lang="en" data-title="back-up"> Deverbal from back up. Head templates: {{en-adj|-}} back-up (not comparable)
  1. Alternative form of backup Tags: alt-of, alternative, not-comparable Alternative form of: backup
    Sense id: en-back-up-en-adj-qMhZiP0w Categories (other): English deverbals, English entries referencing missing etymons, English entries with etymology texts, English entries with etymology trees, English entries with incorrect language header, Pages using etymon with no ID, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Pages with etymology trees Disambiguation of English deverbals: 48 52 Disambiguation of English entries referencing missing etymons: 51 49 Disambiguation of English entries with etymology texts: 49 51 Disambiguation of English entries with etymology trees: 49 51 Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 51 49 Disambiguation of Pages using etymon with no ID: 50 50 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 50 50 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 51 49 Disambiguation of Pages with etymology trees: 51 49

Noun

Forms: back-ups [plural]
Etymology: Etymology tree English back updeverb. English back-up Deverbal from back up. Etymology templates: {{ety|en|:deverbal|back up|text=+|tree=1}} Etymology tree English back updeverb. English back-up [Appendix:Glossary#deverbal|Deverbal]] from", "terms" : [ { "children" : [ ], "lang_name" : "English", "term" : "back up", "status" : "missing", "lang" : "en" } ], "keyword" : "deverbal" } ], "lang_name" : "English", "term" : "back-up", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "en" }" data-lang="en" data-title="back-up"> Deverbal from back up. Head templates: {{en-noun}} back-up (plural back-ups)
  1. Alternative form of backup. Tags: alt-of, alternative Alternative form of: backup
    Sense id: en-back-up-en-noun-JclQCgU4 Categories (other): English deverbals, English entries referencing missing etymons, English entries with etymology texts, English entries with etymology trees, English entries with incorrect language header, Pages using etymon with no ID, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Pages with etymology trees Disambiguation of English deverbals: 48 52 Disambiguation of English entries referencing missing etymons: 51 49 Disambiguation of English entries with etymology texts: 49 51 Disambiguation of English entries with etymology trees: 49 51 Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 51 49 Disambiguation of Pages using etymon with no ID: 50 50 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 50 50 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 51 49 Disambiguation of Pages with etymology trees: 51 49

Inflected forms

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":deverbal",
        "3": "back up",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nEnglish back updeverb.\nEnglish back-up\n[Appendix:Glossary#deverbal|Deverbal]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"back up\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"deverbal\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"back-up\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"back-up\">\nDeverbal from back up.",
      "name": "ety"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Etymology tree\nEnglish back updeverb.\nEnglish back-up\nDeverbal from back up.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "back-up (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "alt_of": [
        {
          "word": "backup"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "48 52",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English deverbals",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "51 49",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries referencing missing etymons",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
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          "_dis": "49 51",
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          "source": "w+disamb"
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        {
          "_dis": "49 51",
          "kind": "other",
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          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "51 49",
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          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "50 50",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages using etymon with no ID",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "50 50",
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          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "51 49",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "51 49",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with etymology trees",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Alternative form of backup"
      ],
      "id": "en-back-up-en-adj-qMhZiP0w",
      "links": [
        [
          "backup",
          "backup#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "alt-of",
        "alternative",
        "not-comparable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "back-up"
}

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":deverbal",
        "3": "back up",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nEnglish back updeverb.\nEnglish back-up\n[Appendix:Glossary#deverbal|Deverbal]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"back up\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"deverbal\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"back-up\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"back-up\">\nDeverbal from back up.",
      "name": "ety"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Etymology tree\nEnglish back updeverb.\nEnglish back-up\nDeverbal from back up.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "back-ups",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "back-up (plural back-ups)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "alt_of": [
        {
          "word": "backup"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "48 52",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English deverbals",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
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          "_dis": "51 49",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries referencing missing etymons",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
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          "_dis": "49 51",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with etymology texts",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "49 51",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with etymology trees",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "51 49",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
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          "_dis": "50 50",
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          "name": "Pages using etymon with no ID",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
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          "_dis": "50 50",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
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          "_dis": "51 49",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "51 49",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with etymology trees",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              86,
              93
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "2022 June 29, “Network News: Emergency timetables: just 20% of services set to run”, in RAIL, number 960, page 6:",
          "text": "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.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Alternative form of backup."
      ],
      "id": "en-back-up-en-noun-JclQCgU4",
      "links": [
        [
          "backup",
          "backup#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "alt-of",
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "back-up"
}
{
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    "English countable nouns",
    "English deverbals",
    "English entries referencing missing etymons",
    "English entries with etymology texts",
    "English entries with etymology trees",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English nouns",
    "English uncomparable adjectives",
    "Pages using etymon with no ID",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Pages with etymology trees"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":deverbal",
        "3": "back up",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nEnglish back updeverb.\nEnglish back-up\n[Appendix:Glossary#deverbal|Deverbal]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"back up\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"deverbal\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"back-up\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"back-up\">\nDeverbal from back up.",
      "name": "ety"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Etymology tree\nEnglish back updeverb.\nEnglish back-up\nDeverbal from back up.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "back-up (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "alt_of": [
        {
          "word": "backup"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Alternative form of backup"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "backup",
          "backup#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "alt-of",
        "alternative",
        "not-comparable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "back-up"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English deverbals",
    "English entries referencing missing etymons",
    "English entries with etymology texts",
    "English entries with etymology trees",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English nouns",
    "English uncomparable adjectives",
    "Pages using etymon with no ID",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Pages with etymology trees"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":deverbal",
        "3": "back up",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nEnglish back updeverb.\nEnglish back-up\n[Appendix:Glossary#deverbal|Deverbal]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"back up\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"deverbal\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"back-up\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"back-up\">\nDeverbal from back up.",
      "name": "ety"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Etymology tree\nEnglish back updeverb.\nEnglish back-up\nDeverbal from back up.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "back-ups",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "back-up (plural back-ups)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "alt_of": [
        {
          "word": "backup"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              86,
              93
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "2022 June 29, “Network News: Emergency timetables: just 20% of services set to run”, in RAIL, number 960, page 6:",
          "text": "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.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Alternative form of backup."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "backup",
          "backup#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "alt-of",
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "back-up"
}

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This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-06-25 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-06-01 using wiktextract (ade7ec3 and 7f4db16). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.