backup

See also back-up, and back up

English

Alternative forms

• back-up

Etymology

back +‎ up

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈbæk.ʌp/

Noun

backup (plural backups)

1. A reserve or substitute.

   If the goalkeeper is injured, we have a backup.

2. (computing) A copy of a file or record, stored separately from the original, that can be used to recover the original if it is destroyed or damaged.

   After the power failure, we had to restore the database from backup.

3. An accumulation of material that halts the flow or movement of something.

   The blockage caused a backup in the plumbing.

4. (law enforcement) reinforcements

   He's got a gun - you better send for backup.

Synonyms

• (reserve): reserve, stand-in, spare, substitute
• (computing: copy of a file or record):
• (accumulation of material that halts flow): block, blockage

Translations

reserve

• Czech: záloha (cs) f
• Dutch: reserve (nl)
• Finnish: vara- (fi)
• German: Unterstützung (de) f, Deckung (de) f, Ersatz (de) m
• Hebrew: גיבוי (gibui) m

• Italian: riserva (it) f, sostituto (it) m
• Japanese: 予備 (ja) (よび, yobi), 控え (ja) (ひかえ, hikae), 補欠 (ja) (ほけつ, hoketsu)
• Russian: резерв (ru) (rezérv) m, дублёр (ru) (dubljór) m
• Spanish: respaldo (es) m, reserva (es) f

copy of file or record

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 備份 (cmn), 备份 (cmn) (bèifèn)

• Czech: záloha (cs) f
• Dutch: backup (nl), reservekopie (nl)
• Finnish: varmuuskopio
• French: sauvegarde (fr) f
• German: Datensicherung (de) f, Backup (de) n
• Hebrew: גיבוי (gibui) m
• Hungarian: biztonsági mentés
• Icelandic: öryggisafrit (is) n, afrit (is) n

• Italian: backup (it) m, copia (it) f di (it) sicurezza (it) f (safety/security copy)
• Japanese: バックアップ (ja) (bakkuappu)
• Jèrriais: baqu'thie f
• Korean: 백업 (ko) (baek-eop)
• Persian: پشتیبان (fa) (poštibân)
• Portuguese: backup (pt) m, becape (pt) m
• Russian: резервная копия (ru) (rezérvnaja kópija) f, (colloquial) бэкап (ru) (bekáp) m, (action) резервное копирование (ru) (rezérvnoje kopírovanije) n
• Spanish: respaldo (es) m, copia de seguridad (es) f

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

Translations to be checked

• Jèrriais: baqu'thie f

Adjective

backup (not comparable)

1. standby, reserve or extra

   I am only a backup player.

2. (computing) That is intended as a backup.

   Make a backup copy of that file.

Synonyms

• (reserve): extra, reserve, spare, standby

Usage notes

Back-up is an alternative spelling of backup. Both spellings are used as either a noun or an adjective. Back up is always spelled as two words and never with a hyphen. That spelling is a verb phrase not used as either an noun or an adjective.

Translations

standby, reserve or extra

• Czech: záložní (cs)
• Dutch: reserve (nl)
• Finnish: vara- (fi)
• German: Ersatz- (de) (noun), Hilfs- (de) (noun genitive)

• Portuguese: reserva (pt) f
• Russian: резервный (ru) (rezérvnyj), запасной (ru) (zapasnój)
• Spanish: de reserva (es)

intended as backup

• Czech: záložní (cs)
• Dutch: reserve (nl)

• Icelandic: öryggis- (is)
• Portuguese: backup (pt) m

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Italian

Etymology

English

Noun

backup m (invariable)

1. (computing) backup