"backbeat" meaning in English

See backbeat in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

Forms: backbeats [plural], back beat [alternative]
Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰeg-der.? Proto-Germanic *baką Proto-West Germanic *bak Old English bæc Middle English bak English back English beat English backbeat From back + beat. Etymology templates: {{ety|en|:af|back<id:rear>|beat<id:stroke>|text=+|tree=1}} Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰeg-der.? Proto-Germanic *baką Proto-West Germanic *bak Old English bæc Middle English bak English back English beat English backbeat [Appendix:Glossary#derived_terms|Derived]] from", "terms" : [ { "id" : "bend", "children" : [ ], "status" : "ok", "lang_name" : "Proto-Indo-European", "term" : "*bʰeg-", "lang" : "ine-pro" } ], "keyword" : "derived" } ], "lang_name" : "Proto-Germanic", "term" : "*baką", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "gem-pro" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "lang_name" : "Proto-West Germanic", "term" : "*bak", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "gmw-pro" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "status" : "ok", "lang_name" : "Old English", "term" : "bæc", "lang" : "ang" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "status" : "ok", "lang_name" : "Middle English", "term" : "bak", "lang" : "enm" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "status" : "ok", "lang_name" : "English", "term" : "back", "lang" : "en" }, { "id" : "stroke", "children" : [ ], "status" : "missing", "lang_name" : "English", "term" : "beat", "lang" : "en" } ], "keyword_label" : "From", "is_group" : true, "keyword" : "affix" } ], "lang_name" : "English", "term" : "backbeat", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "en" }" data-lang="en" data-title="backbeat"> From back + beat., {{ety|en|:af|back<id:rear>|beat<id:stroke>|text=+|tree=1}} Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰeg-der.? Proto-Germanic *baką Proto-West Germanic *bak Old English bæc Middle English bak English back Proto-Indo-European *bʰew-der.? Proto-Germanic *bautaną Proto-West Germanic *bautan Old English bēatan Middle English beten English beat English backbeat From back + beat. Head templates: {{en-noun}} backbeat (plural backbeats)
  1. (music) The sharp accent on the second and fourth beats of rock music in 4/4 time.

Inflected forms

{
  "etymology_links": [
    [
      "*bʰeg-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/bʰeg-#Proto-Indo-European:_bend"
    ],
    [
      "*baką",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/baką"
    ],
    [
      "*bak",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/bak"
    ],
    [
      "bæc",
      "bæc#Old_English:_bak"
    ],
    [
      "bak",
      "bak#Middle_English:_hind"
    ],
    [
      "back",
      "back#English:_rear"
    ],
    [
      "beat",
      "beat#English:_stroke"
    ],
    [
      "back",
      "back#English:_rear"
    ],
    [
      "beat",
      "beat#English:_stroke"
    ]
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":af",
        "3": "back<id:rear>",
        "4": "beat<id:stroke>",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *bʰeg-der.?\nProto-Germanic *baką\nProto-West Germanic *bak\nOld English bæc\nMiddle English bak\nEnglish back\nEnglish beat\nEnglish backbeat\n[Appendix:Glossary#derived_terms|Derived]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"bend\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*bʰeg-\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*baką\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*bak\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"bæc\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"bak\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"back\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }, { \"id\" : \"stroke\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"beat\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"backbeat\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"backbeat\">\nFrom back + beat.",
      "name": "ety"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":af",
        "3": "back<id:rear>",
        "4": "beat<id:stroke>",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *bʰeg-der.?\nProto-Germanic *baką\nProto-West Germanic *bak\nOld English bæc\nMiddle English bak\nEnglish back\nProto-Indo-European *bʰew-der.?\nProto-Germanic *bautaną\nProto-West Germanic *bautan\nOld English bēatan\nMiddle English beten\nEnglish beat\nEnglish backbeat\nFrom back + beat.",
      "name": "ety"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *bʰeg-der.?\nProto-Germanic *baką\nProto-West Germanic *bak\nOld English bæc\nMiddle English bak\nEnglish back\nEnglish beat\nEnglish backbeat\nFrom back + beat.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "backbeats",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "back beat",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "backbeat (plural backbeats)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with etymology texts",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with etymology trees",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with etymon",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with etymology trees",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with etymon",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Music",
          "orig": "en:Music",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              91,
              100
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1957, “Rock and Roll Music”, performed by Chuck Berry:",
          "text": "Just let me hear some of that rock and roll music / Any old way you choose it / It's got a back beat, you can't lose it, / Any old time you use it",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The sharp accent on the second and fourth beats of rock music in 4/4 time."
      ],
      "id": "en-backbeat-en-noun-5meFlMNT",
      "links": [
        [
          "music",
          "music"
        ],
        [
          "accent",
          "accent"
        ],
        [
          "beat",
          "beat"
        ],
        [
          "rock music",
          "rock music"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(music) The sharp accent on the second and fourth beats of rock music in 4/4 time."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "entertainment",
        "lifestyle",
        "music"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "backbeat"
}
{
  "etymology_links": [
    [
      "*bʰeg-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/bʰeg-#Proto-Indo-European:_bend"
    ],
    [
      "*baką",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/baką"
    ],
    [
      "*bak",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/bak"
    ],
    [
      "bæc",
      "bæc#Old_English:_bak"
    ],
    [
      "bak",
      "bak#Middle_English:_hind"
    ],
    [
      "back",
      "back#English:_rear"
    ],
    [
      "beat",
      "beat#English:_stroke"
    ],
    [
      "back",
      "back#English:_rear"
    ],
    [
      "beat",
      "beat#English:_stroke"
    ]
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":af",
        "3": "back<id:rear>",
        "4": "beat<id:stroke>",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *bʰeg-der.?\nProto-Germanic *baką\nProto-West Germanic *bak\nOld English bæc\nMiddle English bak\nEnglish back\nEnglish beat\nEnglish backbeat\n[Appendix:Glossary#derived_terms|Derived]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"bend\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*bʰeg-\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*baką\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*bak\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"bæc\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"bak\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"back\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }, { \"id\" : \"stroke\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"beat\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"backbeat\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"backbeat\">\nFrom back + beat.",
      "name": "ety"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":af",
        "3": "back<id:rear>",
        "4": "beat<id:stroke>",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *bʰeg-der.?\nProto-Germanic *baką\nProto-West Germanic *bak\nOld English bæc\nMiddle English bak\nEnglish back\nProto-Indo-European *bʰew-der.?\nProto-Germanic *bautaną\nProto-West Germanic *bautan\nOld English bēatan\nMiddle English beten\nEnglish beat\nEnglish backbeat\nFrom back + beat.",
      "name": "ety"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *bʰeg-der.?\nProto-Germanic *baką\nProto-West Germanic *bak\nOld English bæc\nMiddle English bak\nEnglish back\nEnglish beat\nEnglish backbeat\nFrom back + beat.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "backbeats",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "back beat",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "backbeat (plural backbeats)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English compound terms",
        "English countable nouns",
        "English entries with etymology texts",
        "English entries with etymology trees",
        "English entries with etymon",
        "English entries with incorrect language header",
        "English lemmas",
        "English nouns",
        "English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *bʰeg- (bend)",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "Pages with 1 entry",
        "Pages with entries",
        "Pages with etymology trees",
        "Pages with etymon",
        "en:Music"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              91,
              100
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1957, “Rock and Roll Music”, performed by Chuck Berry:",
          "text": "Just let me hear some of that rock and roll music / Any old way you choose it / It's got a back beat, you can't lose it, / Any old time you use it",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The sharp accent on the second and fourth beats of rock music in 4/4 time."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "music",
          "music"
        ],
        [
          "accent",
          "accent"
        ],
        [
          "beat",
          "beat"
        ],
        [
          "rock music",
          "rock music"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(music) The sharp accent on the second and fourth beats of rock music in 4/4 time."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "entertainment",
        "lifestyle",
        "music"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "backbeat"
}

Download raw JSONL data for backbeat meaning in English (4.2kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-10-25 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-10-01 using wiktextract (f9fe161 and 6f96ddf). 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.