back-formation

== English == === Alternative forms === backformation, back formation === Etymology === Coined by Scottish lexicographer and philologist James Murray in 1889; from back- +‎ formation. === Pronunciation === === Noun === back-formation (countable and uncountable, plural back-formations) (uncountable, linguistics) 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. (countable) A word created in this way. Synonym: back-form Back-formations, such as "tambour" (for "play the tambourine"), are a staple of comedic wordplay. ==== Derived terms ==== back-form ==== Translations ==== === See also === disfixation Category:Back-formations by language Category:English back-formations