backache
/ˈbækeɪk/noun
backache is spelled B-A-C-K-A-C-H-E: 8 letters and 2 syllables. It appears about once in every 6 million words in written English, the 73,203rd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, backache means “Any pain or ache in the back” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of backache is backaches.
How many letters and syllables are in backache?
| Letters | 8: B-A-C-K-A-C-H-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 6 million words; the 73,203rd most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is backache?
Backache appears about once in every 6 million words in written English, the 73,203rd most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce backache?
- /ˈbækeɪk/
Backache has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-backache.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of backache
- backaches plural
- backake
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does backache mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
Any pain or ache in the back.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Backache in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense any pain or ache in the back – see also lumbago:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | mal au dos |
| German | Rückenschmerzen |
| Portuguese | dor nas costas |
| Spanish | dolor de espalda |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does backache come from?
From back + ache.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).