Added 6 October 2026
back-formation
/ˌbæk.fɔːˈmeɪ̯.ʃən/ noun
In Latin: none, coined in 1888 Coined: 1888 Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about back-formation at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- The process by which a new word is formed from an older word by interpreting the former as a derivative of the latter, often by removing a morpheme (real or perceived) from the older word, such as the verb burgle, formed by removing -ar (perceived as an agent-noun suffix) from burglar.
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A word created in this way.
Back-formations, such as tambour (for “play the tambourine”), are a staple of comedic wordplay.
Origin
From back- + formation. Coined by British lexicographer and philologist, primary editor of the Oxford English Dictionary James Murray in 1888.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)