backfriend C2+ Topic:General Vocabulary US /ˈbækˌfrɛnd/ UK /ˈbækˌfrɛnd/ See IPA manual Meanings 1 noun a false friend or secret enemy Beware the backfriend who flatters you to your face and slanders you behind it. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 noun · a false friend or secret enemy enemybetrayerfoetraitor ↔ Opposites friendally Word family Related forms backfriend Etymology AI details From back + friend, originally a friend in name only who works behind one's back; an archaic English compound. bæc Old English frēond Old English View etymology graph -> Topics General Vocabulary External links Google Images Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary # backfriend **Type:** Word **Level:** C2+ **Part of speech:** noun **IPA (US):** /ˈbækˌfrɛnd/ **IPA (UK):** /ˈbækˌfrɛnd/ ## Meanings 1. a false friend or secret enemy ## Examples - Beware the backfriend who flatters you to your face and slanders you behind it. ## Synonyms - enemy - betrayer - foe - traitor ## Antonyms - friend - ally ## Related Forms - back - friend ## Roots and Affixes - Root: bæc - Root: frēond ## Etymology From back + friend, originally a friend in name only who works behind one's back; an archaic English compound. ## AI Etymology Backfriend is a noun meaning "a false friend or secret enemy". Historically, it is from back + friend, originally a friend in name only who works behind one's back; an archaic English compound. The visible construction is part of the etymology: backfriend is not just an unanalyzed simple word. The historical chain links Old English bæc with Old English frēond. Close English family members include back, and friend. This keeps the modern noun sense tied to the older forms and language sequence behind it. ## Topics - General Vocabulary markdown