The backslash ( \ ) is a typographical mark (glyph) used chiefly in computing. It was first introduced in 1960 by Bob Bemer. Sometimes called a reverse solidus, it is the mirror image of the common slash. It is also known as a slosh. In colloquial speech, it is sometimes called a whack (however that term is considered to be properly a synonym only for the forward slash).

Other common terms for the character include hack, escape (from C/UNIX), reverse slash, backslant, and backwhack. Also, it is sometimes referred as bash, reverse slant, reversed virgule, or backslat.

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