backhand
UK[ˈbæk.hænd]US[ˈbæk.hænd]
n
A stroke in tennis and other racket sports made with the back of the hand facing the direction of the stroke.
n
Handwriting that slopes to the left.
adj
(of a stroke or blow) made with the back of the hand or with the hand turned backwards.
adv
With a backhand stroke or motion.
v
Hit (a ball) with a backhand stroke.
Morpheme Breakdown
back
hand
back
rear
hand
body part
Etymology
The word 'backhand' is a transparent compound formed from two native English elements, 'back' and 'hand'. Its literal meaning, "the back of the hand," is the foundation for its primary modern usage in sports. In tennis and similar games, the stroke is named for the characteristic position where the back of the player's hand faces forward during the swing. This concrete, descriptive logic was then extended metaphorically to describe left-sloping handwriting, where the pen is held in a manner reminiscent of the backhand stroke's orientation.
Analysis
Structure: back (rear) + hand (body part)
- back: From Old English 'bæc', meaning the rear surface of the human body. In this compound, it denotes the side of the hand opposite the palm.
- hand: From Old English 'hand', referring to the end part of the arm beyond the wrist. It forms the core noun, specifying the object involved in the action.
Examples
She won the point with a powerful backhand down the line.
His backhand writing was difficult for the teacher to read.
The player effortlessly backhanded the ball cross-court for a winner.