Meaning of back-formation | Babel Free
Definitions
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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. uncountable
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A word created in this way. countable
Equivalents
Deutsch
Rückbildung
Ελληνικά
αναδρομικός σχηματισμός
Italiano
retroformazione
日本語
逆成
Nederlands
terugvorming
Polski
derywacja wsteczna
Português
derivação regressiva
Русский
обра́тное словообразова́ние
Examples
“Back-formations, such as "tambour" (for "play the tambourine"), are a staple of comedic wordplay.”
CEFR level
C2
Mastery
This word is part of the CEFR C2 vocabulary — mastery level.
This word is part of the CEFR C2 vocabulary — mastery level.