+@cindex backing up files
+@item --backups=@var{backups}
+Before (over)writing a file, back up an existing file by adding a
+@samp{.1} suffix (@samp{_1} on VMS) to the file name. Such backup
+files are rotated to @samp{.2}, @samp{.3}, and so on, up to
+@var{backups} (and lost beyond that).
+