- to talk spitefully about (an absent person)
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
back•bite /ˈbækˌbaɪt/USA pronunciation
v., -bit, -bit•ten or (Informal ) -bit;
-bit•ing.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026-bit•ing.
- to attack the character of (a person who is not present);
slander: [ ~ + obj ]:always backbiting me to my friends.[no obj]:backbiting and gossiping.
back•bite
(bak′bīt′),USA pronunciation v., -bit, -bit•ten or (Informal) -bit;
-bit•ing.
v.t.
v.i.
back′bit′er, n.
-bit•ing.
v.t.
- to attack the character or reputation of (a person who is not present).
v.i.
- to speak unfavorably or slanderously of a person who is not present.
- 1125–75; Middle English; see back1, bite
- 1. belittle, disparage, deprecate; slander, libel, defame.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
backbite /ˈbækˌbaɪt/ vb ( -bites, -biting, -bit, -bitten, -bit)
'backbite' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):