backboard
back·boardnoun, verb
backboard is spelled B-A-C-K-B-O-A-R-D: 9 letters and 2 syllables (back·board). It appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 48,775th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, backboard means “The flat vertical surface to which the basket is attached” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of backboard is backboards.
How many letters and syllables are in backboard?
| Letters | 9: B-A-C-K-B-O-A-R-D |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: back·board |
| In writing | about once in every 3 million words; the 48,775th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is backboard?
Backboard appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 48,775th 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 backboard?
Backboard has 2 syllables, split back·board in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-backboard.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Words people confuse with backboard
Also written: back board (one word or two).
Sources: English Wiktionary (homophones, alternative spellings).
Forms of backboard
- backboards plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- backboarding participle, present
- backboarded participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does backboard mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
The flat vertical surface to which the basket is attached.
- 2
A flat vertical wall with the image of a tennis net drawn or painted on it, designed to practice hitting against such that the ball rebounds.
- 3
A spine board.
- 4
A board placed at the back of a cart, boat, behind a signal, etc.
- 5
The port or larboard side of a ship
verb
- 1
To place (a patient) on a spine board.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Backboard in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense basketball:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| Portuguese | tabela |
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 backboard come from?
From back + board.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).