backrest

noun

Etymology: Compound of back + rest.

1. The back piece of a chair, used to support the sitter's back.

   “I can identify the pattern of wood grain on my chair at Mom and Dad's kitchen table, but I don't try to sketch it in my mind. For me, chairness is nonvisual; it's the feel of a seat connected to four legs and a backrest.”

2. A guide attached to the slide rest of a lathe, and placed in contact with the work to steady it in turning.