Back formation
the -n-logical 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.
a word so formed, as typewrite from typewriter.
historical examples
in any event, the men should be taught to take some form of a closed back to back formation.
manual of military training james a. moss
noun
the invention of a new word on the -ssumption that a familiar word is derived from it. the verbs edit and burgle were so created from editor and burglar
a word formed by this process
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- Back four
noun (soccer) the defensive players in many modern team formations: usually two fullbacks and two centre backs
- Back gear
(in a lathe) one of several gears for driving the headstock at various speeds. historical examples referring again to fig. 494, g′ is the pinion to drive the back gear while g receives motion from the back-gear pinion. modern machine-shop practice, volumes i and ii joshua rose various methods of moving the back gear into […]
- Back green
noun (central scot, dialect) gr-ss or a garden at the back of a house, esp a tenement historical examples crown and back green, and tail rusty tipped with dusky, no notch in tail-feathers; in other respects like no. 433. color key to north american birds frank m. chapman the window looked out on the back […]
- Background music
music, often recorded, intended to provide a soothing background, usually played over loudspeaker systems in public places, as railway stations or restaurants. music composed specifically to accompany and heighten the mood of a visual production, as a movie. contemporary examples yorke and g-drich know how to make all this fiddling about sound pretty good, even […]
- Back ground
the ground or parts, as of a scene, situated in the rear (opposed to foreground). fine arts. the part of a painted or carved surface against which represented objects and forms are perceived or depicted: a portrait against a purple background. the part of an image represented as being at maximum distance from the frontal […]