# behind

> English word · Preposition · IPA /bɪˈhaɪnd/ · frequency rank #509

## Definitions
1. At or to the back or far side of.
2. At or to the back or far side of.
3. At or to the back or far side of.
4. Less forward or advanced than; after.
5. Less forward or advanced than; after.
6. Less forward or advanced than; after.
7. Responsible for, being the creator or controller of.
8. Underlying, being the reason for or explanation of.
9. In support of.
10. Following, subsequent to; as a result or consequence of; because of.

## Etymology
From Middle English behinde, behinden, from Old English behindan (“on the back side of, behind”), from Proto-West Germanic *bihindan, *bihindini (“on the back side of, in the rear of, behind”), from Proto-West Germanic *bi- + *hindō (“the hind side, back part”), equivalent to be- + hind. Compare Old Saxon bihindan (“behind”, adverb), Middle High German behinter (“behind; back”).

## Easily confused with
- **bend** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/behind-vs-bend)
- **bind** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/behind-vs-bind)
- **bein** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/behind-vs-bein)
- **being** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/behind-vs-being)
- **blind** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/behind-vs-blind)
- **Benin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/behind-vs-benin)
- **Bernd** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/behind-vs-bernd)
- **beyond** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/behind-vs-beyond)
- **behold** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/behind-vs-behold)
- **Bering** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/behind-vs-bering)
- **Belinda** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/behind-vs-belinda)
- **begin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/begin-vs-behind)
- **begins** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/begins-vs-behind)
- **behead** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/behead-vs-behind)

## Common misspellings (9)
`bbehind`, `behhind`, `behidn`, `behindd`, `behinnd`, `behnid`, `beihnd`, `bheind`, `ebhind`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/behind