Back-formation

From Fresh Dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Noun 1.2 Examples 1.3 Translations

English

Noun

Back-formation (plural Back-formations)

1. The process by which a new word, X, is formed from another, Y, by removing a portion of Y that is falsely perceived to be a bound morpheme attached to a root morpheme.

Examples

burgle: a back-formation from the noun burglar, formed by removing the ending -ar, as if burglar were an agent noun formed by adding this ending to the verb burgle.

edit: a back-formation from the noun editor.

flammable: a back-formation from the adjective inflammable.

Translations

• Japanese: 逆成