backwardation
back·ward·at·ion/bækwəˈdeɪʃ(ə)n/noun
backwardation is spelled B-A-C-K-W-A-R-D-A-T-I-O-N: 13 letters and 4 syllables (back·ward·at·ion). It appears about once in every 33 million words in written English, the 176,009th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, backwardation means “A situation in a futures market where the price for future delivery of a commodity (the forward price) is lower than the price for immediate delivery…” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of backwardation is backwardations.
How many letters and syllables are in backwardation?
| Letters | 13: B-A-C-K-W-A-R-D-A-T-I-O-N |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 4: back·ward·at·ion |
| In writing | about once in every 33 million words; the 176,009th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
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); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is backwardation?
Backwardation appears about once in every 33 million words in written English, the 176,009th 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 backwardation?
- UK /bækwəˈdeɪʃn̩/
- US /bækwəˈdeɪʃ(ə)n/
Backwardation has 4 syllables, split back·ward·at·ion in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-backwardation.wav, En-us-backwardation.oga, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with backwardation?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as backwardation from its last stressed vowel (/eɪʃn/):
- information
- formation
- preparation
- presentation
- relation
- identification
- observation
- variation
- obligation
- simulation
- notification
- calculation
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of backwardation
- backwardations plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does backwardation mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A situation in a futures market where the price for future delivery of a commodity (the forward price) is lower than the price for immediate delivery (the spot price) or nearer delivery, generally arising from a near-term shortage of the commodity.
- 2
A situation in which short-term interest rates are higher than long-term interest rates.
- 3
The situation in a stock market where the offer price for stock is lower than the bid price.
- 4
obsoleteIn the London Stock Exchange: a fee paid by a seller on settlement day either to the buyer or to a third party who lends stock, when the seller wishes to defer settlement until the next settlement day.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Where does backwardation come from?
From backward + -ation (suffix denoting an action or process).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).