backard
Backwards; the wrong way around.
Also called backerds, back'ards, backwards.
Updated September 21, 2026
backard pronunciation
/BACK-erd/
Meaning
How backwards often sounds when the w softens out: backard or backerds. Hat on backard. Truck in reverse backard. Appalachian English also uses backwards for shy or bashful, and that sense rides the same pronunciation.
How folks use it
- “You got that lid on backard.”
- “Don't be backard about fixing yourself a plate.”
Origin and etymology
A regional pronunciation of backwards, common in South Midland and Appalachian speech. Writers spell it backard, backerds, or back'ards to catch the dropped w. The shy sense of backwards is older English too, and mountain talk kept both the sound and that second meaning.
Frequently asked questions
Can backard mean shy?
Yes, when it stands in for backwards in the "bashful" sense. Context tells you if someone means reverse direction or quiet manners.