noun

backhand

BAK-hand

Backhand (noun) means In tennis and similar sports, a stroke played across the body with the back of the hand facing the direction of the shot. Example: “Her backhand is stronger than her forehand.”

noun

In tennis and similar sports, a stroke played across the body with the back of the hand facing the direction of the shot.

"Her backhand is stronger than her forehand."

Handwriting that slants to the left.

"His backhand script made the letter oddly difficult to read."

verb

To hit something using a backhand stroke.

"He backhanded the return straight down the line."

How to use backhand

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA sports stroke hit with the back of the hand facing forward, or handwriting slanted to the left.

Common pairings

a strong backhand hit a backhand

Word forms

more backhand comparative, backhanded past tense, backhands plural, backhands singular, most backhand superlative

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Her _____ is stronger than her forehand.

Etymology

From back + hand.

Synonyms

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backhand shot backhand stroke

Frequently asked questions

What does “backhand” mean?

The word “backhand” means in tennis and similar sports, a stroke played across the body with the back of the hand facing the direction of the shot. In plain terms, a sports stroke hit with the back of the hand facing forward, or handwriting slanted to the left.

How do you pronounce “backhand”?

“Backhand” is pronounced BAK-hand (/ˈbækhænd/ in IPA).

How do you use “backhand” in a sentence?

Here is “backhand” used in a sentence: “Her backhand is stronger than her forehand.”

What part of speech is “backhand”?

Depending on how it is used, “backhand” can be a noun and a verb.

How many meanings does “backhand” have?

“Backhand” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: in tennis and similar sports, a stroke played across the body with the back of the hand facing the direction of the shot.