backhand

The word "backhand" comes from racket sports, especially tennis, where it names the stroke played with the back of the dominant hand facing the direction of the swing, usually across the body. People also use related forms like "backhanded," most often in "backhanded compliment"—a remark that appears complimentary but quietly delivers a slight. In some contexts, especially in British usage, "backhander" refers to a secret bribe or payoff.

The word "backhand" has its roots in racket sports, where it refers to a stroke made when the back of the dominant hand leads the racquet. Because the motion usually crosses the body and is the opposite of a forehand, the term sounds slightly unusual and less direct. That sense of an angled, indirect way of delivering force helped it grow into figurative use.

In everyday conversation, the most common figurative use is the phrase "backhanded compliment," like, "What a great idea—if everyone else could do less than half that." It sounds polite, but it carries a hidden jibe. In some legal and political contexts, a "backhander" is a secret payment meant to buy favour, echoing the idea of an indirect or concealed move.

While the literal stroke is a core tennis skill, figuratively "backhand" and "backhanded" usually point to communication or tactics that are indirect, sly, or ethically fuzzy. If someone avoids saying a point clearly and instead delivers it from the side, they are taking a backhanded path.