back-formation

Meaning

1. (uncountable) 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.
2. (countable) A word created in this way.

Synonyms

back formation

backformation

Translations

dérivation régressive

Rückbildung

derivação regressiva

αναδρομικός σχηματισμός

dérivation inverse

rétroformation

retroformazione

dérivé régressif

Reanalyse

Etymology

Coined by Scottish lexicographer and philologist James Murray in 1889; from back- + formation.