/ ˈbækwəd; NAmE -wərd/ adjective
1.
[ only before noun ] directed or moving towards the back :
She strode past him without a backward glance .
2.
moving in a direction that means that no progress is being made
SYN retrograde :
She felt that going back to live in her home town would be a backward step.
3.
having made less progress than normal; developing slowly :
a backward part of the country, with no paved roads and no electricity
a backward child
( BrE , informal )
She's not backward in coming forward (= she's not shy) .
—compare forward
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : from earlier abackward , from aback .