back formation

A form of back-formation — 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.

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounback formation (plural back formations)

plural back formations

  1. alternativeAlternative form of back-formation.
Cite this entry
APA

back formation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/back%20formation

MLA

“back formation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/back%20formation. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “back formation,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/back%20formation.

Source: back formation on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.