back-formation

back-formation
back-formation [bak′fôr mā΄shən]
n.
1. a word actually formed from, but seeming to be the base of, another word (Ex.: burgle from burglar)
2. the process of forming such a word

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back-for·ma·tion or back formation (băkʹfôr-mā'shən) n.
1. A new word created by removing an affix from an already existing word, as vacuum clean from vacuum cleaner, or by removing what is mistakenly thought to be an affix, as pea from the earlier English plural pease.
2. The process of forming words in this way. See note at baby-sit.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • back-formation — also back formation, by 1887, from BACK (Cf. back) (adv.) + FORMATION (Cf. formation) …   Etymology dictionary

  • back-formation — 1. A back formation is a word (often a verb) formed from a longer word (often a noun) which appears to be a derivative of the newer word; for example, burgle (19c) is a back formation from burglar (which is six centuries older) and sculpt (19c)… …   Modern English usage

  • back-formation — ack for*ma tion n. (Linguistics) 1. a word invented (usually unwittingly by subtracting an affix) on the assumption that a familiar word derives from it, such as emote from emotion. [WordNet 1.5 +PJC] 2. the process of inventing a back… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • back formation — back for,mation noun count LINGUISTICS a new word that is formed by removing a part of another word. In English, burgle is a back formation from burglar …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • back-formation — [bak′fôr mā΄shən] n. 1. a word actually formed from, but seeming to be the base of, another word (Ex.: burgle from burglar) 2. the process of forming such a word …   English World dictionary

  • Back-formation — In etymology, back formation refers to the process of creating a new lexeme (less precisely, a new word ) by removing actual or supposed affixes. The resulting neologism is called a back formation , a term coined by James Murray [… …   Wikipedia

  • back formation — Ling. 1. the analogical creation of one word from another word that appears to be a derived or inflected form of the first by dropping the apparent affix or by modification. 2. a word so formed, as typewrite from typewriter. [1885 90] * * * back… …   Useful english dictionary

  • back formation — n. (ling.) a back formation from (to burgle is a back formation from burglar) * * * (ling. ) a back formation from (to burgle is a back formation from burglar) …   Combinatory dictionary

  • back formation — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms back formation : singular back formation plural back formations linguistics a new word that is formed by removing a part of another word. In English, burgle is a back formation from burglar …   English dictionary

  • back formation — back for.mation n technical a new word formed from an older word, for example televise , which is formed from television …   Dictionary of contemporary English

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