backspace

English

Etymology

From back +‎ space.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbækˌspeɪs/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

English Wikipedia has an article on:

backspace

Wikipedia

backspace (plural backspaces)

1. The key on a typewriter that moves the head one position backwards.
2. (computing) A keyboard key used for removing a character behind the cursor, and moving the cursor one position backwards.
3. (computing) A non-printable text character representing a backspace.

   Synonym: \b

Derived terms

• backspaceable
• backspacer
• destructive backspace

Translations

typewriter key

Esperanto: retropaŝo Finnish: askelpalautin (fi) French: retour arrière m German: Backspace m, Rücktaste f, Rücksetztaste f Japanese: バックスペースキー (bakkusupēsu kī), バックスペース (ja) (bakkusupēsu) Korean: 백스페이스 키 (baekseupeiseu ki), 백스페이스 (baekseupeiseu) Marathi: बॅकस्पेस (bĕkaspes) Romanian: tastă backspace f, backspace n Spanish: retroceso (es) Swedish: backsteg (sv) n, backstegstangent (sv) c, backslagstangent c Turkish: geri tuşu (tr), silme tuşu Vietnamese: phím lùi

computer key

Bengali: ব্যাকস্পেস (bêkośpes) Chinese: Mandarin: please add this translation if you can Finnish: askelpalautin (fi), backspace-näppäin French: retour arrière m German: Backspace m, Rücktaste f, Rücksetztaste f Japanese: バックスペースキー (bakkusupēsu kī), バックスペース (ja) (bakkusupēsu) Korean: 백스페이스 키 (baekseupeiseu ki), 백스페이스 (baekseupeiseu) Marathi: बॅकस्पेस (bĕkaspes) Portuguese: backspace (pt) m, retrocesso (pt), (tecla de) retroceder (pt), (tecla de) recuo (pt), (tecla de) apagar (pt) Romanian: tastă backspace f, backspace n Spanish: retroceso (es), (tecla de) borrar (es) Thai: please add this translation if you can Turkish: geri tuşu (tr), silme tuşu Vietnamese: phím xóa lùi, phím lùi

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

French: (please verify) retour arrière Icelandic: (please verify) hop n

Verb

backspace (third-person singular simple present backspaces, present participle backspacing, simple past and past participle backspaced)

1. (computing) To remove a character behind a cursor.
   • 2024 April 17, SMii7Y, 1:20 from the start, in Content Warning Footage That Should Never Be Uploaded‎, spoken by SMii7Y:

     So once you hit 'E', just backspace.

2. (computing) To move a magnetic tape to a previous block.

Translations

remove a character

Finnish: kumittaa (fi) (informal) Icelandic: hopa Turkish: (please verify) geri tuşu (tr)

See also

• ←

Portuguese

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English backspace.

Noun

backspace m (plural backspaces)

1. backspace (computer key)