Backordered

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. An item requested but currently not available in inventory and scheduled to be supplied later
2. A product that has been ordered but cannot be shipped immediately due to lack of stock and will arrive at a future date
3. Something requested by a customer that is temporarily out of supply and will be delivered when restocked

Etymology: "Backordered" is a compound of "back" and "ordered," and its sense comes from the commercial practice it names: an order placed for goods the seller cannot currently ship, held on the books until stock arrives. The "back" here means something like "behind" or "in arrears," the same idea found in "backlog" and "back pay," so the term describes an order that has fallen behind the supply. The past participle "ordered" carries the transaction itself. A customer's request is recorded and waits in a queue rather than being cancelled, which is why the adjective is applied to both the goods and the request. In its usual use, a backordered item is one a shop has accepted payment or commitment for but cannot yet deliver.

Synonyms: delayed, pending, on hold

Antonyms: available, in stock, ready