backwater
Backwater (noun) means a place seen as remote, quiet, and untouched by modern trends or major events. Example: “The village had been a sleepy backwater for centuries before the new highway arrived.”
How to use backwater
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a stagnant pool of water cut off from the main current, or figuratively, a place that time and progress seem to have passed by.
Word forms
backwatered past tense, backwaters plural, backwaters singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The village had been a sleepy _____ for centuries before the new highway arrived.
Etymology
From back + water, originally describing water pushed back by an obstruction, later extended to mean a place left behind by progress.
Rhymes for backwater
See all rhymes for backwater →Frequently asked questions
What does “backwater” mean?
The word “backwater” means a place seen as remote, quiet, and untouched by modern trends or major events. In plain terms, either a stagnant pool of water cut off from the main current, or figuratively, a place that time and progress seem to have passed by.
How do you use “backwater” in a sentence?
Here is “backwater” used in a sentence: “The village had been a sleepy backwater for centuries before the new highway arrived.”
What part of speech is “backwater”?
“Backwater” is a noun.
How many meanings does “backwater” have?
“Backwater” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a place seen as remote, quiet, and untouched by modern trends or major events.