Backwaters

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A part of a river or lake where the water is stagnant or slow-moving
2. An isolated or less developed area that may lack modern conveniences or culture
3. A situation or environment that is remote and uninfluenced by outside progress or change

Etymology: "Backwaters" is the plural of "backwater," a compound formed from "back" and "water." The literal sense is water that has been turned aside from the main current: a stretch of still or slow water beside or behind a river, cut off from the flow. That physical meaning is the root of the figurative use, where a place far from the main stream of activity is seen as stagnant, left behind while the current of progress moves on. The plural applies that figure to whole regions or communities rather than to a single pool. Because the image is one of water that has stopped moving, the word carries the idea of being out of the mainstream, which is why it suits places that lack modern conveniences or cultural life.

Synonyms: inlet, creek, lagoon, bayou, slough

Antonyms: mainstream, open water, current, flow, river