back-formation

Meaning

Noun

  • 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.
  • A word created in this way.

Related

Similar words

Origin

  • ; from .

Modern English dictionary

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