The backquote or backtic operator in Python is a pseudonym for the repr function.

If you have an object that you want to convert into a string (to manipulate it, store it, print it out), Python may call one of two standard method:

__str__ (also the str function) converts an object into a human-readable form - the sort of thing that your program's user might wish to see if you print an object out.

__repr__ (also the repr function) converts an object into a string which is what you as the programmer would wish to be fed back for debugging purposes.

The base object class from which every objects is derived these days includes a __repr__ method which returns a string containing the object type and id / memory address. There is no __str__ method in the base object, and the system will fallback to running __repr__ if you try to print out / convert to a string an object for which __str__ has not been overwritten.

The Backquote (back quote, backtic, back tic) operator runs repr (hard to find in an online search, as the backquote if often special syntax to or ignored by search engines!)

Sample program and output - [here].
(written 2012-07-05, updated 2012-07-14)

 Y112 - Python - Objects - Intermediate
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  [383] Overloading of operators on standard objects in Python - (2005-07-19)
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  [1146] __new__ v __init__ - python constructor alternatives? - (2007-04-14)
  [1217] What are factory and singleton classes? - (2007-06-04)
  [1517] Python - formatting objects - (2008-01-24)
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  [1661] Equality, sameness and identity - Python - (2008-05-31)
  [1819] Calling base class constructors - (2008-10-03)
  [2368] Python - fresh examples of all the fundamentals - (2009-08-20)
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  [2693] Methods that run on classes (static methods) in Python - (2010-03-25)
  [2717] The Multiple Inheritance Conundrum, interfaces and mixins - (2010-04-11)
  [2720] Multiple inheritance in Python - complete working example - (2010-04-14)
  [2722] Mixins example in Python - (2010-04-14)
  [2764] Python decorators - your own, staticmethod and classmethod - (2010-05-14)
  [2785] The Light bulb moment when people see how Object Orientation works in real use - (2010-05-28)
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  [2994] Python - some common questions answered in code examples - (2010-10-10)
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Y108 - Python - String Handling
  [324] The backtick operator in Python and Perl - (2005-05-25)
  [463] Splitting the difference - (2005-10-13)
  [496] Python printf - (2005-11-15)
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  [773] Breaking bread - (2006-06-22)
  [943] Matching within multiline strings, and ignoring case in regular expressions - (2006-11-25)
  [954] Splitting Pythons in Bradford - (2006-11-29)
  [970] String duplication - x in Perl, * in Python and Ruby - (2006-12-07)
  [1110] Python - two different splits - (2007-03-15)
  [1195] Regular Express Primer - (2007-05-20)
  [1608] Underlining in Perl and Python - the x and * operator in use - (2008-04-12)
  [1876] Python Regular Expressions - (2008-11-08)
  [2284] Strings as collections in Python - (2009-07-12)
  [2406] Pound Sign in Python Program - (2009-09-15)
  [2692] Flexible search and replace in Python - (2010-03-25)
  [2721] Regular Expressions in Python - (2010-04-14)
  [2765] Running operating system commands from your Python program - (2010-05-14)
  [2780] Formatted Printing in Python - (2010-05-25)
  [2814] Python - splitting and joining strings - (2010-06-16)
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  [3218] Matching a license plate or product code - Regular Expressions - (2011-03-28)
  [3349] Formatting output in Python through str.format - (2011-07-07)
  [3468] Python string formatting - the move from % to str.format - (2011-10-08)
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  [4595] Python formatting update - including named completions - (2015-12-10)
  [4659] Prining a pound sign from Python AND running from the command line at the same time - (2016-03-03)

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