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backness. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
backness, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
backness in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
backness you have here. The definition of the word
backness will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
backness, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
From back + -ness.
Pronunciation
Noun
backness (uncountable)
- (phonetics) Quality of being a back vowel.
- Antonym: frontness
1996, Andrew Spencer, Phonology: theory and description, page 25:The most important aspects of vowel quality are tongue height, frontness/backness and lip rounding.
- (phonetics) A quality of vowels, indicating the horizontal position of the tongue relative to the back of the mouth (front, near-front, central, near-back, or back).
- Synonym: frontness
- Coordinate terms: (vertical dimension) height, (lip articulation) roundedness, length, nasalization, reduction
Translations
a quality of vowels: the position of the tongue relative to the back of the mouth