[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/backbone/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [B](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/b/) / backbone

# backbone

noun (a backbone, backbones)

«backbone» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. The backbone is the line of bones down the middle of your back, also called the spine. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/backbone/#m1)
2. The backbone of something is its most important part, which holds the rest up. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/backbone/#m2)
3. Having backbone means being brave and strong enough to do the right thing. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/backbone/#m3)

### In the lessons

In science, animals with a backbone are vertebrates (fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals); animals without one are invertebrates (insects, worms, jellyfish). In health: good posture protects your backbone. Phrases: the backbone of the team, have the backbone to, show some backbone.

### Examples

- Your backbone is made of small bones called vertebrae. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/backbone/#x1)
- A fish has a backbone, but a worm does not. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/backbone/#x2)
- Sit up straight to look after your backbone. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/backbone/#x3)
- Farmers are the backbone of the country. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/backbone/#x4)
- It takes backbone to stand up to a bully. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/backbone/#x5)
- The goalkeeper is the backbone of our team. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/backbone/#x6)
- Insects are animals without a backbone. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/backbone/#x7)
- Feel the bumps of your backbone down your back. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/backbone/#x8)

### Note

Countable. Same as spine. Science trap: a jellyfish and a spider have no backbone; a snake has a very long one. «Spineless» means without a backbone, or, about people, not brave.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «backbone» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/backbone/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«backbone» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/backbone.html) on Mova free.