back number
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A number of a paper or periodical issued previously to the current one; hence an out-of-date or old-fashioned person or thing.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “back number” mean?
A number of a paper or periodical issued previously to the current one; hence an out-of-date or old-fashioned person or thing.
Is “back number” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.