backspace

English

Etymology

From back +‎ space.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbækˌspeɪs/

Noun

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
• 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
• 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^[1], 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)