back end

¹

[ bak end ]

noun

1. the rear part of something:

   I didn’t think my stage debut would entail playing the back end of a bull!

   My eyes followed the back end of the car, watching it slowly creep up the road and out of sight.

2. the later part of a process or span of time:

   The team has a chance to turn their season around, but they face a difficult back end of the schedule.

3. Computers. the parts of a computer program, website, system, network, etc., that the user does not see or directly interact with:

   The user information has all been updated in the back end.

   Our engineers can refurbish existing backends internally, improving structure and performance without altering the external behavior of the code.

4. the part of an organization or process that operates in the background or out of the public view:

   Tell us about the back end of your business, like your accounting and data processing systems.

5. British. the last few months of the year:

   The journal was published at the back end of last year.

back-end

²

or back·end

[ bak-end ]

adjective

1. Computers. being or relating to those parts of a computer program, website, system, network, etc., that the user does not see or directly interact with:

   Managed website hosting is for those who do not want to bother with a lot of the back-end stuff like updating apps and enabling automatic backups.

   We’re seeking an experienced back-end developer to help complete the development of our mobile education platform.

2. being or relating to the part of an organization that operates in the background or out of the public view:

   The library is hoping to streamline many of their back-end administrative processes.

   The back-end legal and financial responsibilities of running a business are significant.

3. happening or incurred at or near the end of a process or span of time:

   We do not ever charge hidden back-end transaction fees.

   The young pitcher is shaping up to be a great middle or back-end reliever.

back end

noun

1. dialect.
   autumn

adjective

1. (of money, costs, etc) required or incurred after a project has been completed

Word History and Origins

Origin of back end¹

First recorded in 1590–1600

Origin of back end²

First recorded in 1970–75

Word History and Origins

Origin of back end¹

from the phrase the back end of the year

Example Sentences

“A few. And they were on the back end of the contracts — they’re not going to be renewed, probably.”

From Los Angeles Times

"I knew he would do well," said Dowden, "I saved a lot of dances for the back end of the series which I knew would suit him and his style of dance."

From BBC

“Going off the last game, we did see it go up and down, mainly down, towards the back end,” said Anderson, England’s all-time leading wicket-taker.

From BBC

"Knowing that if we stand on the back end of a snake, or if we make a mistake, you might not even find us again."

From BBC

The back end of the defense must avoid the penalties and communication errors that have plagued the Rams most of the season.

From Los Angeles Times