Piggy-back

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

See also: piggyback

Something that is piggy-backed is something that is riding on the back of something else. To piggy-back (or to go on a piggyback ride) is to ride on someone's back and/or shoulders.

To ride on someone's shoulders is a 'Shoulder Ride'. The word Piggyback is a corruption of 'Pick-a-Back' or choose a back to ride on.

This expression is used by analogy in several contexts, such as in electrical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, structural geology and rail transport or intermodal freight transport. For example in space transportation systems, where the satellite is on the top of the launcher assembly, one says that the satellite is piggybacked on the missile.

The term piggy-back is also used for a product distribution strategy, where two companies that have product lines that complement each other grant access to each other's distribution channel structures so they may both expand their markets (e.g. abroad). This is a variation to the principle of cross selling.