backformed

Backformed is a term used in linguistics to describe a word that has been created by removing an apparent affix from a longer word. In back-formation, speakers assume that the longer word contains a productive base plus a suffix or affix, and they form a new word by stripping away that supposed affix. The resulting word is called a backformed word.

Back-formation is most common in English. Classic examples include edit, formed from editor by removing the -or suffix; donate, derived from donation by removing -tion; burgle, from burglar by removing the -ar; and televise, from television by removing the -ion. In some cases the derived form becomes more widely used than the original, while in others it remains the less common form or is restricted to particular registers or dialects. The process often involves a shift in part of speech, such as turning a noun into a verb (editor to edit) or a suffixal noun into a verb (donation to donate).

Scholarly views on back-formation vary. Some linguists treat it as a legitimate historical mechanism that can create new words over time. Others view back-formed words as results of folk etymology or analogy, where speakers misinterpret the underlying morphology of a word. Because language change is gradual and influenced by many factors, determining whether a word was backformed can be difficult and sometimes contested.

In linguistic discussions, backformed words are contrasted with other word-formation processes such as clipping, affixation, and conversion. Understanding back-formation helps explain how English vocabulary evolves and why some words appear to have irregular or unexpected origins.