switchback

switch·back

S s

Transcription

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
- [swich-bak]
- /ˈswɪtʃˌbæk/
- /ˈswɪtʃ.bæk/

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- [swich-bak]
- /ˈswɪtʃˌbæk/

Definitions of switchback word

noun switchback a highway, as in a mountainous area, having many hairpin curves. 1
noun switchback Railroads. a zigzag track arrangement for climbing a steep grade. 1
noun switchback British. roller coaster. 1
verb without object switchback (of a road, railroad track, etc.) to progress through a series of hairpin curves; zigzag: The road switchbacks up the mountain. 1
noun switchback zigzagging path 1
countable noun switchback A switchback is a road which rises and falls sharply many times, or a sharp rise and fall in a road. 0

See all 10 definitions of switchback

Information block about the term

Origin of switchback

First appearance:

before 1860

One of the 29% newest English words

An Americanism dating back to 1860-65; switch + back2

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Switchback

noun

adjective

verb

adverb

pronoun

preposition

conjunction

determiner

exclamation

Full grammatical hierarchy of Switchback

switchback popularity

A pretty common term. Usually people know it’s meaning, but prefer to use a more spread out synonym. About 46% of English native speakers know the meaning and use word.

This word is included in each student's vocabulary. Most likely there is at least one movie with this word in the title.

switchback usage trend in Literature

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Synonyms for switchback

noun switchback

zigzag — a line, course, or progression characterized by sharp turns first to one side and then to the other.

Just one Synonym for switchback