humpbacked

Meanings

1. 1adjectivenot comparable

   Having a back that curves up in the middle, like a hill.

   Grammar: Used before a noun, as in 'a humpbacked cow'; it is not usually used after 'be'.

   Patterns

   • a humpbacked animal
   • a humpbacked whale

   The old cow in the field was humpbacked and moved slowly.

   A humpbacked whale lifted its tail above the water and dived.

   In the story, a humpbacked camel carried the travelers across the sand.

2. 2adjectivenot comparableold-fashioneddisapproving

   Having a round, curved upper back, used of a person.

   Grammar: Now sounds old-fashioned and can be unkind; 'has a curved back' is a neutral way to say it.

   Patterns

   • a humpbacked man
   • a humpbacked woman

   The painting shows a humpbacked old man leaning on a stick.

   Doctors no longer describe patients as humpbacked; they name the condition instead.

Common combinations

humpbacked whale

Whale watchers hope to see a humpbacked whale near the coast.

humpbacked bridge

We drove over a small humpbacked bridge on the way to the village.

humpbacked cow

The humpbacked cow belongs to a breed kept in warm countries.

a humpbacked figure

A humpbacked figure in a dark coat walked past the window.

Synonyms and how they differ

hunchbacked

Very close in meaning, but it is used mainly of people and is now considered an unkind, old-fashioned word.

crooked

Describes anything bent or not straight, not just a back, so it is much wider in meaning.

curved

A neutral word for any smooth bend; it does not suggest a lump or hump.

Opposites

Word family

humpback noun

An animal, especially a whale, with a curved back; also the curve itself.

hump noun

A round raised part on the back of a camel or on a road.

humped adjective

Having a hump; used of camels and some cattle.

Commonly confused: humpbacked or hunchbacked? humpbacked or humpback?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “humpbacked”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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