backtick

English

Etymology

From back +‎ tick.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbæk.tɪk/

• Audio (UK):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -æktɪk

Noun

backtick (plural backticks)

1. (computing, typography) The symbol `, resembling a reversed quotation mark and also being, or being homoglyphic to (depending on mental model), a grave accent mark in isolation. (Common uses include (1) use as a dead key in composing grave-accented characters, (2) use as an escape character to mark literals, and (3) many other uses as defined by contexts.)

   Synonym: backquote

   • 2000, Lincoln D Stein, Network Programming with Perl:

     The backtick acts like the double-quote operator.

Derived terms

• backticked

Related terms

• backslash
• backstroke

Translations

the symbol `, resembling a reversed quotation mark

• Czech: zpětný apostrof, obrácený apostrof m
• Esperanto: malapostrofo
• German: Backtick m
• Hungarian: fordított félidézőjel

Further reading

• “backtick”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
• “backtick, backquote”, in Google Books Ngram Viewer.