/ Dictionary / Index B back formation: Meaning and Definition of Find definitions for: back' forma"tion Pronunciation: [key] — Ling. Ling. 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. a word so formed, as typewrite from typewriter. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease. back focus back forty Related Content Daily Word Quiz: feline Analogy of the Day: Today’s Analogy Spelling Bee: Today’s Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language