An edition of a magazine, etc, that was published earlier than the current edition
Any issue of a periodical which precedes the current issue Back issues of a periodical shelved with the current issue in alphabetical order
An out-of-date magazine See {current magazine} Sometimes publishers leave back issues at the doors of {not-at-homes} the last time they are visited before turning in a {territory} Before the {donation arrangement} publishers would offer back issues to householders who were reluctant to fork over the exorbitant two bits per magazine, but who nonetheless manifested a degree of interest
A back issue of a magazine or newspaper is one that was published some time ago and is not the most recent. = back number