backspace (redirected from backspace key)

(1) To move the screen cursor one column to the left, deleting the character that was in that position. A backspace to the printer moves the print head one column to the left.

(2) To move to the previous block on a magnetic tape.

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(character)

backspace - (BS) ASCII code 8, Control-H. The control character that should cause most output devices to move their current output position back to the previous character so that the next character output will replace (or overprint) it. Inputting a backspace (typically by pressing the backspace key) causes many systems to delete the character before the input cursor, though others use delete for this. See twirling baton for an imaginitive use of backspace.