backness
noun/ˈbæk.nɪs/
Etymology From back + -ness.
1
Human sciences, Linguistics, Phonetics, Phonology, Sciences Quality of being a back vowel.
- The most important aspects of vowel quality are tongue height, frontness/backness and lip rounding.1996, Andrew Spencer, Phonology: theory and description, page 25:
2
Human sciences, Linguistics, Phonetics, Phonology, Sciences A quality of vowels, indicating the horizontal position of the tongue relative to the back of the mouth (front, near-front, central, near-back, or back).