back formation

American  

noun

Linguistics.

1. the analogical creation of one word from another word that appears to be a derived or inflected form of the first by dropping the apparent affix or by modification.

2. a word so formed, as typewrite from typewriter.

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back formation British  

noun

1. the invention of a new word on the assumption that a familiar word is derived from it. The verbs edit and burgle were so created from editor and burglar

2. a word formed by this process

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Etymology

Origin of back formation

First recorded in 1885–90