back ‧ wa ‧ ter /ˈbækwɔːtə $ -wɒːtər, -wɑː-/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
1 . a very quiet place not influenced by outside events or new ideas – used to show disapproval:
a rural backwater
2 . a part of a river away from the main part, where the water does not move