List of English back-formations


Back-formation is either the process of creating a new lexeme by removing actual or supposed affixes, or a neologism formed by such a process. Back-formations are shortened words created from longer words, thus back-formations may be viewed as a sub-type of clipping.
Each back-formation in this list is followed by the original word from which it was back-formed.

A

abduct probably from abduction abscess from abscessedaborigine from aborigines, mistaken for a plural nounaccord from Old French acorde, acort, a back-formation from acorderaccrete from accretion acculturate from acculturationaddict from addicted admix from admixtAdirondack Mountains from Adirondacks, mistaken for a plural nounadsorb from adsorptionadolesce from adolescenceadulate from adulationadvect from advectionadvisor perhaps from advisoryaerate probably from aerationaesthete from aestheticaggress from aggressionair-condition from air conditioningalley alliterate from alliteration allotrope from allotropy amaze from Middle English amased ambivalent from ambivalence ameliorate perhaps from amelioration in some cases annunciate perhaps from annunciation in some cases anticline from anticlinalantipode from antipodes appeal from Old French apel, back-formation from apelerapperceive from apperception aristocrat from French aristocrate, a back-formation from aristocratie assent from Old French assent, a back-formation from assentirattrit from attritionauto-destruct from auto-destruction automate from automationaviate from aviationavid partly from avidity awe-strike perhaps from ''awestruck''

B

babysit from babysitterback-form from back-formationbartend from bartenderbeg from beggarbenefact from benefactor
  • berserk from berserkerbibliograph from bibliographybicep from biceps biograph from biographybird from bird watcherblockbust from blockbusterbook-keep from book-keepingbrainwash from brainwashingbulldoze from bulldozerbum possibly from bummerburgle from burglarbus from busboybushwhack from bushwhackerbuttle from ''butler''

C

cadge from cadgercaretake from caretakercavitate from cavitationchain-smoke from chain-smokerchalant from nonchalantChess (river) from Cheshamchoate from inchoatechoreograph from choreographychupacabra from Spanish chupacabras claustrophobe from claustrophobiacohese from cohesion (disambiguation) commentate from commentatorcommittal from non-committalcomplicit from complicitycomputerize from computerizedcontracept from contraception contrapt from contraptionconvect from convectionconversate from conversation or conversingcose from cosycouth from uncouthco-vary from covariationcross multiply from cross multiplicationcross-refer from cross-referencecurate from curatorcustom-make from ''custom-made''

D

dapple from dappleddarkle from darklingdecadent from decadencedeconstruct from deconstructiondedifferentiate from dedifferentiationdemarcate from demarcationdemograph from demographicsdestruct from destructiondiagnose from diagnosisdiffract from diffractiondinge from dingydiplomat from diplomaticdishevel from disheveleddonate from donationdrear from drearydrowse from drowsy dry-clean from ''dry cleaning''

E

eave from eaveseavesdrop from eavesdropperedit from editor electrocute from electrocutionelocute from elocutionemote from emotionenthuse from enthusiasmescalate from escalatoreutrophicate from eutrophicationevaluate from evaluationextradite from extraditionextrapose from ''extraposition''

F

fine-tune from fine tuningflab from flabbyflappable from unflappableflake from flakyfloss from flossyfluoresce from fluorescencefragmentate from fragmentationfree-associate from free association funk from ''funky''

G

gamble from gamblergestate from gestationghostwrite from ghostwritergid from giddygladiola from gladiolusgnarl from gnarledgoaltend from goaltendergodsend from god-sentgreed from greedy grid from gridirongrovel from grovelinggrunge from grungygruntle from ''disgruntle''

H

handwrite from handwritinghard-boil from hard-boiledhawk from hawkerhaze from hazyheadhunt from headhunterheadquarter from headquartershelicopt from helicopterherptile from herpetologyherpe from herpeshousebreak from housebrokenhouseclean from housecleaninghousekeep from housekeeperhustle from ''hustler''

I

inadvertent from inadvertenceideologue from ideologyincent from incentiveindice from indices injure from injuryintercept from interception interfluve from interfluvialinterlineate from interlinearintuit from intuitionisolate from ''isolated''

J

jell from jellyjerry-build from ''jerry-built''

K

kidnap from kidnapperkudo from ''kudos''

L

lase from laserlaze from lazylegislate from legislatorletch from lecherliaise from liaisonloaf from loaferlogroll from logrollingluminesce from ''luminescent''

M

manipulate from manipulationmase from masermentee from mentormix from mixt mottle from motleymoonlight from moonlightermultimillion from ''multimillionaire''

N

nake from nakednitpick from nit-pickingnotate from ''notation''

O

obsess from obsessiveobligate from obligationone-up or one-upman from one-upmanshiporate from orationorientate from ''orientation''

P

panhandle from panhandlerparamedic from paramedicalpartake from partakerpatriation from repatriationpea from Middle English peasepeddle from peddlerpeeve from peevishpettifog from pettifoggerphosphoresce from phosphorescentpleb from plebsply from replypreempt from preemptionprocess from processionprodigal from prodigalityproliferate from proliferationproofread from proofreaderpugn from ''impugn''

Q

quadrumvir from quadrumviratequantitate from ''quantitative''

R

raunch from raunchyrecurse from recursionreminisce from reminiscenceresurrect from resurrectionruly from unrulyrotovate from ''rotovator''

S

sass from sassyscavenge from scavengersculpt from sculptorsecrete from secretionsecretive from secretivenesssedate from sedativeself-destruct from self-destruction semantic from semanticssharecrop from sharecroppershoplift from shopliftersightsing from sightsingingsightsee from sightseeingsipid from insipidsleaze from sleazysleepwalk from sleepwalkingsmarm from smarmysorb from sorption soft-land from soft landing sorption from adsorption and absorptionspectate from spectatorstargaze from stargazerstatistic from statisticsstave from staves steamroll from steamrollerstridulate from stridulationsuburb from suburban suckle from sucklingsulk from sulkysummate from summationsunburn from sunburnedsuperannuate from superannuatedsurreal from surrealismsurveil from surveillanceswashbuckle from swashbucklerswindle from swindlersyncline from ''synclinal''

T

tamale, as a singular of tamales tase from Tasertaxon from taxonomy televise from televisiontongue-lash from tongue-lashingtranscript from transcription tricep from triceps trickle-irrigate from trickle-irrigation tweeze from tweezerstypewrite from ''typewriter''

U

underwhelming as a supposed antonym of overwhelmingunit from unity upholster from upholsteryush from ''usher''

V

vaccinate from vaccinationvend as in vend out, derived from vendorverse from versusvinify from vinificationvint from vintage and vintnervivisect from ''vivisection''

W

wiretap from ''wiretapper''