Back-formations, such as "tambour" (for "play the tambourine"), are a staple of comedic wordplay.
Wikipedia foundation.
back-formation — also back formation, by 1887, from BACK (Cf. back) (adv.) + FORMATION (Cf. formation) … Etymology dictionary
back-formation — 1. A back formation is a word (often a verb) formed from a longer word (often a noun) which appears to be a derivative of the newer word; for example, burgle (19c) is a back formation from burglar (which is six centuries older) and sculpt (19c)… … Modern English usage
back-formation — [bak′fôr mā΄shən] n. 1. a word actually formed from, but seeming to be the base of, another word (Ex.: burgle from burglar) 2. the process of forming such a word * * * back for·ma·tion or back formation (băkʹfôr mā shən) n … Universalium
back-formation — ack for*ma tion n. (Linguistics) 1. a word invented (usually unwittingly by subtracting an affix) on the assumption that a familiar word derives from it, such as emote from emotion. [WordNet 1.5 +PJC] 2. the process of inventing a back… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
back formation — back for,mation noun count LINGUISTICS a new word that is formed by removing a part of another word. In English, burgle is a back formation from burglar … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
back-formation — [bak′fôr mā΄shən] n. 1. a word actually formed from, but seeming to be the base of, another word (Ex.: burgle from burglar) 2. the process of forming such a word … English World dictionary
Back-formation — In etymology, back formation refers to the process of creating a new lexeme (less precisely, a new word ) by removing actual or supposed affixes. The resulting neologism is called a back formation , a term coined by James Murray [… … Wikipedia
back formation — Ling. 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. [1885 90] * * * back… … Useful english dictionary
back formation — n. (ling.) a back formation from (to burgle is a back formation from burglar) * * * (ling. ) a back formation from (to burgle is a back formation from burglar) … Combinatory dictionary
back formation — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms back formation : singular back formation plural back formations linguistics a new word that is formed by removing a part of another word. In English, burgle is a back formation from burglar … English dictionary
back formation — back for.mation n technical a new word formed from an older word, for example televise , which is formed from television … Dictionary of contemporary English
