A mark or scar on the back of an animal, especially cattle, that indicates ownership or status; a brand mark on the back.
From 'back' + 'brand' (a mark made with a hot iron). This is a farming term combining two Old English elements: 'bæc' and 'brand,' which originally meant a burning torch or mark made by burning.
Before modern record-keeping, farmers couldn't photograph or document livestock, so they literally seared their ownership onto the animal's body—the backbrand was permanent proof of property in a world without filing cabinets.
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