"backstabber" meaning in English

See backstabber in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /ˈbækˌstæbɚ/ Audio: en-us-backstabber.ogg Forms: backstabbers [plural]
Etymology: From back + stabber. Etymology templates: {{compound|en|back|stabber}} back + stabber Head templates: {{en-noun}} backstabber (plural backstabbers)
  1. A traitor or hypocrite, such as a co-worker or friend assumed trustworthy but who figuratively attacks when one's back is turned. Categories (topical): People Synonyms: snake in the grass Hyponyms: smiling assassin Related terms: stab in the back Translations (a traitor or hypocrite): скрита опасност (skrita opasnost) [feminine] (Bulgarian), 负心人 (fùxīnrén) (Chinese Mandarin), matennaaier (Dutch), NSB'er [masculine] (Dutch), liero (Finnish), selkäänpuukottaja (Finnish), petturi (Finnish), hypocrite (French), serpent [masculine] (French), faux jeton [masculine] (French), faux frère [masculine] (French), Verräter (German), φίδι (fídi) [neuter] (Greek), आस्तीन का सांप (āstīn kā sāmp) (Hindi), eiturnaðra [feminine] (Icelandic), rógberi [masculine] (Icelandic), slanga í paradís [feminine] (Icelandic), munafik (Indonesian), ipocrita (Italian), 裏切り者 (uragirimono) (Japanese), żmija [feminine] (Polish), змея́ подколо́дная (zmejá podkolódnaja) [feminine] (Russian), traidor (Spanish)

Inflected forms

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "back",
        "3": "stabber"
      },
      "expansion": "back + stabber",
      "name": "compound"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From back + stabber.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "backstabbers",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "backstabber (plural backstabbers)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "antonyms": [
        {
          "word": "backstabbee"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "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": "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Dutch translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with French translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with German translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Greek translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Hindi translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Icelandic translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Indonesian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Italian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Japanese translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Mandarin translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Polish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Russian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Spanish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "People",
          "orig": "en:People",
          "parents": [
            "Human",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A traitor or hypocrite, such as a co-worker or friend assumed trustworthy but who figuratively attacks when one's back is turned."
      ],
      "hyponyms": [
        {
          "word": "smiling assassin"
        }
      ],
      "id": "en-backstabber-en-noun-daWK6JmP",
      "links": [
        [
          "traitor",
          "traitor"
        ],
        [
          "hypocrite",
          "hypocrite"
        ],
        [
          "trustworthy",
          "trustworthy"
        ]
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "word": "stab in the back"
        }
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "snake in the grass"
        }
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "skrita opasnost",
          "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "скрита опасност"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "fùxīnrén",
          "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
          "word": "负心人"
        },
        {
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
          "word": "matennaaier"
        },
        {
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "NSB'er"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
          "word": "liero"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
          "word": "selkäänpuukottaja"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
          "word": "petturi"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
          "word": "hypocrite"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "serpent"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "faux jeton"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "faux frère"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
          "word": "Verräter"
        },
        {
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "fídi",
          "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "φίδι"
        },
        {
          "code": "hi",
          "lang": "Hindi",
          "roman": "āstīn kā sāmp",
          "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
          "word": "आस्तीन का सांप"
        },
        {
          "code": "is",
          "lang": "Icelandic",
          "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "eiturnaðra"
        },
        {
          "code": "is",
          "lang": "Icelandic",
          "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "rógberi"
        },
        {
          "code": "is",
          "lang": "Icelandic",
          "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "slanga í paradís"
        },
        {
          "code": "id",
          "lang": "Indonesian",
          "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
          "word": "munafik"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
          "word": "ipocrita"
        },
        {
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "uragirimono",
          "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
          "word": "裏切り者"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "żmija"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "zmejá podkolódnaja",
          "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "змея́ подколо́дная"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
          "word": "traidor"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈbækˌstæbɚ/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-backstabber.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/4/46/En-us-backstabber.ogg/En-us-backstabber.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/En-us-backstabber.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "word": "backstabber"
}
{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "back",
        "3": "stabber"
      },
      "expansion": "back + stabber",
      "name": "compound"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From back + stabber.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "backstabbers",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "backstabber (plural backstabbers)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "stab in the back"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "antonyms": [
        {
          "word": "backstabbee"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        "English compound terms",
        "English countable nouns",
        "English entries with incorrect language header",
        "English lemmas",
        "English nouns",
        "Entries with translation boxes",
        "Pages with 1 entry",
        "Pages with entries",
        "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
        "Terms with Dutch translations",
        "Terms with Finnish translations",
        "Terms with French translations",
        "Terms with German translations",
        "Terms with Greek translations",
        "Terms with Hindi translations",
        "Terms with Icelandic translations",
        "Terms with Indonesian translations",
        "Terms with Italian translations",
        "Terms with Japanese translations",
        "Terms with Mandarin translations",
        "Terms with Polish translations",
        "Terms with Russian translations",
        "Terms with Spanish translations",
        "en:People"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A traitor or hypocrite, such as a co-worker or friend assumed trustworthy but who figuratively attacks when one's back is turned."
      ],
      "hyponyms": [
        {
          "word": "smiling assassin"
        }
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "traitor",
          "traitor"
        ],
        [
          "hypocrite",
          "hypocrite"
        ],
        [
          "trustworthy",
          "trustworthy"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "snake in the grass"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈbækˌstæbɚ/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-backstabber.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/4/46/En-us-backstabber.ogg/En-us-backstabber.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/En-us-backstabber.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "skrita opasnost",
      "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "скрита опасност"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "fùxīnrén",
      "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
      "word": "负心人"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
      "word": "matennaaier"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "NSB'er"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
      "word": "liero"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
      "word": "selkäänpuukottaja"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
      "word": "petturi"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
      "word": "hypocrite"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "serpent"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "faux jeton"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "faux frère"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
      "word": "Verräter"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "fídi",
      "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "φίδι"
    },
    {
      "code": "hi",
      "lang": "Hindi",
      "roman": "āstīn kā sāmp",
      "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
      "word": "आस्तीन का सांप"
    },
    {
      "code": "is",
      "lang": "Icelandic",
      "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "eiturnaðra"
    },
    {
      "code": "is",
      "lang": "Icelandic",
      "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "rógberi"
    },
    {
      "code": "is",
      "lang": "Icelandic",
      "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "slanga í paradís"
    },
    {
      "code": "id",
      "lang": "Indonesian",
      "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
      "word": "munafik"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
      "word": "ipocrita"
    },
    {
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "uragirimono",
      "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
      "word": "裏切り者"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "żmija"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "zmejá podkolódnaja",
      "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "змея́ подколо́дная"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "a traitor or hypocrite",
      "word": "traidor"
    }
  ],
  "word": "backstabber"
}

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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 2025-01-31 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-01-20 using wiktextract (bcd5c38 and 9dbd323). 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.