A stagnant body of water connected to but isolated from the main flow of a river, or a remote area away from centers of activity. In hydrology, it refers to water that has reversed its flow or become trapped in a side channel.
From Middle English, literally 'back' + 'water,' originally describing water that flows backward or against the main current. The figurative meaning of a remote, undeveloped place emerged in the 19th century, drawing on the idea of being cut off from the main flow of progress.
Try Another Word