Definition, synonyms and related words
Alternative spelling of back street
"The old map listed several alleyways, including a backstreet leading to the market."
In plain English: A backstreet is an alleyway that runs behind buildings and isn't usually used by regular traffic.
"They met in an unlit backstreet to avoid being seen by anyone else."
Associated with neighborhoods on back streets, often in older neighborhoods, with poorer residents.
"The city's few remaining backstreets are lined with small shops and homes where many of the neighborhood's poorest families live."
In plain English: Backstreet describes something that is hidden away from public view and not meant for everyone to see.
"They found a small, backstreet bakery hidden behind an old shop."
Usage: Use backstreet primarily as an adjective before a noun to describe locations or businesses situated away from main thoroughfares. Avoid using it as a standalone noun; instead, refer to the place itself simply as "a back street."
The word backstreet is a straightforward compound formed by combining back and street. It was first used to describe an alley or road located behind main thoroughfares rather than the primary route itself.